


Formal Distraction

by almond_joy_wonder



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fraternity, Coffee Shops, Drinking, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Human Olaf (Disney), Human Sven (Disney), Implied/Referenced Abuse, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Sorority
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:29:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 89,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23896093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/almond_joy_wonder/pseuds/almond_joy_wonder
Summary: A slow burn Kristanna and Elsamaren fic set in a College AU.While trying to navigate her controlling boyfriend, her sorority obligations, her relationship with her sister, and a newfound friendship with a grumpy Frat-guy, Anna learns to allow herself to be vulnerable and heal from her past.Elsa and Honeymaren work together to persuade Anna to leave Hans, as they can see more and more signs of emotional and physical abuse.And Kristoff? After receiving a terrible coffee order from a cute barista, will watch his "no dating policy" disappear before his eyes.
Relationships: Anna & Hans (Disney), Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Comments: 88
Kudos: 102





	1. Bid Day

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I haven't attempted to write a fic in a VERY long time, so please keep that in mind! Switches in POV will be marked with "***" Also this is definitely slow burn, but there are references to both emotional and physical abuse, including some dubcon, although it will never be explicitly written. I take my writing VERY seriously (although my notes in the future will be less serious than this one!), so it's important to me to leave some phone numbers here in case you need ANY help. 
> 
> National Domestic Violence Hotline (US): 1-800-799-7233  
> National Sexual Assault Hotline (US): 1-800-656-4673  
> National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline (US): 1 (866) 331–9474  
> International Pathways to Safety Hotline: 1 (833) 723 – 3833

A strong smell of coffee wafted underneath the door to her room, and the quiet sound of ABBA playing from the hallway forced Anna up long before her alarm was supposed to go off. She sighed out of her nose, unamused by the lyrics of _Dancing Queen_ , squeezing her eyes shut in an effort to drown out her hangover, before she shifted her stiff body into a sitting position. She opened her eyes half-way to begrudgingly force herself onto her feet and out of the comfort of her bed.

  
It wasn’t the first hangover she’d had, not by a longshot, but it certainly was one of the worst she’d endured. Her wrists hurt from their lack of blood flow, and she felt nauseated by the entire world, which in all fairness, was swirling a lot less than it had towards the end of the night before. She couldn’t remember much about getting back home to the apartment, mostly that Elsa had forced some water into her, along with part of a granola bar, before giving up and tucking her into bed.

  
She glanced down at her phone, and groaned as she scrolled through the unanswered texts from her “Hans-omest Boyfriend”, as he was dubbed in her contacts.

_Anna, where are you?_

_I swear to god, if you keep betraying me like this, I won’t be able to trust you._

_Anna, I’m sorry._

_Why isn’t your sister answering me? I’m starting to get worried._

_I’m guessing you fell asleep. Without remembering to text me goodnight. I suppose my night won’t be good now. Text me when you wake up._

_Please._

The pounding in her head got sharper as she clicked it off. She’d always felt guilty when she was hungover, especially after getting as drunk as she did the night before. And why had she? Plus, she frowned as her eye caught the DIY planner she had been working on for some time. She had so much to do. Recruitment had been so central to her schedule for the past week that she really couldn’t afford to miss any of her classes, and she knew she would have to at least attempt to go to the gym even if she had to only walk on the treadmill. She silently thanked her coworker, Olaf, for switching shifts with her. There’s no way she could make it in today. Why had she let Honeymaren talk her into that third White Claw? She knew full and well that Anna was a lightweight.

  
To be fair, Honeymaren had suggested that it might be good for them to let loose after a thorough recruitment season. Not to mention her ex-girlfriend from Kappa (Yvette? Or Yvonne? Something ridiculous with a Y) had shown up with some new floozy, so she had recruited Anna into showing off in front of her, to prove that Honeymaren could “ _Totally have fun without her!_ ”. She was exhausted from weeks of preparation, let alone the three endless days of recruitment and bidding on the potential new members--her voice was sore from screaming out the same songs for eight hours, and her feet hurt from the 6-inch tan heels she was forced to wear for the Preference Night Ceremony the night before. She loved recruitment, of course, and it did make her Instagram blow up with new content and followers, but it honestly was nothing compared to-

  
“Bid day!” She remembered out loud, her eyes naturally popping open with excitement. She had completely forgotten about the very best day of the year for any woman on the Greek Row. Her heart practically sang as she threw open her door, and slid down the hallway in her socks. She leapt into the kitchen, to find her sister sipping on a cup of coffee and scrolling through some news on her laptop. “Good morning, my beautiful sister!” She exclaimed sing-songily, practically skipping over to the coffee pot.

  
“Morning,” Elsa glanced up from the article she was reading, lifting a well practiced eyebrow, “You seem pretty chipper, considering the state you were in last night. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sorority girl apologize that much.”

  
Anna opened one of their cupboards and stretched to reach for a mug, “What? What was I apologizing for?”

  
“Not you, silly,” Elsa rolled her eyes, before scooting out of her chair and gracefully moving to her sister to pluck up a coffee cup easily, smirking at their slight height difference. “Your friend who brought you over here. She seemed pretty embarrassed to be that inebriated herself, I had to give her a ride home.”

  
A giggle bubbled up from Anna’s chest, “No way, you mean Honeymaren?” She shook her head, “Nuh-uh, she’s such a heavyweight. There’s no way-” She sighed, cutting herself off as she remembered the Kappa showing up to the kickback. “Just kidding, there’s definitely way. Her ex showed up to the kickback last night, which was so uncool. Like who would do that? And she’s a Kappa. And it’s recruitment, we’re not even supposed to drink or do social events right now.”

  
Elsa grimaced as she strode back to her chair, “I’m not even sure how you guys can all date each other. It’s why I could never be in a sorority.”

  
“No,” Anna corrected, drawing the word out. “You couldn’t be in a sorority because it would mean actually talking to people everyday-” She poured some coffee into her mug, “People that aren’t me or your lizard. Can you even imagine knowing more people than me and a lizard?”

  
“Do not bring Zuko into this. He’s a gecko, and he’s perfect.” Her sister corrected, remaining completely stoic and regal as per usual, “Besides, why would I want to deal with sobbing drunk women in my car? If your friend last night was any indicator of how any of your other friends act, I dread to be your Maid of Honor.”

  
Anna raised her eyebrows, a playful smirk on her lips, “Who knows? With a meet-cute like that between you and my friend, I might be a Maid of Honor sooner.”

  
Elsa deadpanned her, shooting a nonchalant glare, “Oh yes. Please, I couldn’t meet a less drunk, less whiny and more suitable woman on my own. Thank you for introducing me to your lesbian friend, I’m sure our mutual love of women makes us perfectly compatible.”

  
Anna giggled so hard she snorted, setting her coffee on the table before plopping down in the chair adjacent to her sister. She loved seeing Elsa in the morning, Anna had never been a morning person, but her sister had always made mornings fun. Even today, with _Take a Chance on Me_ blaring in the background of their conversation, the sun seemed to shine a little brighter, reflecting off the golden locks that crowned her sister’s head. It didn’t quite match her disposition, which came off as icy and intimidating, but Anna loved knowing her in this way. She adored the secret dorky goofball side of her sister, and she never wanted to go back to living without it.

  
It was weird to think that only a year before, they weren’t even on speaking terms. After their parents passed away when she was in high school, Anna had tried to reach out to her sister, even applying to the University of Michigan so that they could live closer together. She was brokenhearted when Elsa still didn’t feel comfortable talking to her, and spent most of her time alone in her dorm. She was ecstatic when her grandmother proposed she go through Recruitment, and made friends immediately in the glittery crafty world of Delta Gamma. She still missed her big sister, and felt entirely rejected, but she wanted to focus on their relationship. Anna knew she needed Elsa in her life.

  
She was so honored when Elsa came out to her, explaining that she was nervous Anna wouldn’t be able to accept her for who she was. Anna had reminded her that it was ridiculous for Elsa to even imagine that, and told her she would be so happy if Elsa could fall in love with whoever she chose. They both cried and cried, and drank wine, and hugged, and cried some more. It wasn’t long after that when Anna decided to move into Elsa’s apartment after her roommate moved out to pursue a graduate degree. It was the best decision Anna had ever made, and she wouldn’t trade living with her sister for the world.

***

Elsa tapped her manicured fingernails against the table as she watched her sister grab her things clumsily, as she rushed out the door to head to class. With a quick, “See you later!” the little redhead was out the door, followed quickly by the sound of a loud crash and a muffled, little “Sorry!” that could be heard even from inside of their little apartment. Elsa sighed and shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. Anna was a darling girl, but she was such an airhead; exactly why Elsa needed to protect her.

  
She hadn’t always been the best “big sister”, especially after their parents passed away. It was selfish of her to leave, and she knew that, but she also had to figure out how to live on her own, in a world without her mother’s guidance and her father’s kindness. Along with the pressure of being gay after attending strict Catholic schools her entire life, she couldn’t handle the bright, spitfire that was Anna. She couldn’t handle seeing that little fire dwindle in her grief, the spark gone from Anna’s eyes. Elsa was terrified that if she didn’t run away, she would be a constant reminder of what Anna had lost. She was eighteen and stupid, and she would never forgive herself.

  
Her past transgressions, however, meant that she had to kick it up a notch as a sister, now that she was closer with Anna. If that meant that she would have to take her disturbingly inebriated, sobbing friend home the previous night, then Elsa was more than happy to do it.

  
Well, maybe she was a little less than happy. It wasn’t that Honeymaren didn’t seem like a sweet girl--in fact, Elsa was pleasantly surprised by how much she loved Anna. It was just that she didn’t seem incredibly bright. Between the whining, stupid questions, and vomiting, Elsa found herself completely revolted by her sister’s friend. Honeymaren had acted like a complete stereotype of a “sorority girl”, plucked straight out of Mean Girls or the worst part of some Amanda Bynes movie. Elsa grimaced at the memory of holding silky, raven colored hair back as she heard and smelled the poor thing retching onto the sidewalk. She couldn’t understand why Anna would want to spend her time doing things like that, with people like that.

  
Which, of course, was a fairly harsh judgment considering the poor thing had been as intoxicated as she was. Elsa had never tried much alcohol personally, because the opportunity never presented itself. So maybe, she thought with a sigh, I’m in no place to decide how people seem when they get THAT drunk. Besides, while Elsa had never been a part of any long-term relationships, it seemed like it would be difficult to see an ex-girlfriend after you’d already gotten drunk.

  
She could also tell, despite Honeymaren’s greasy hair and running mascara, that she was absolutely stunning. Which, of course, didn’t really matter considering she was Anna’s friend, and Elsa certainly didn’t have time to even think about romance while she was trying to focus on her post-graduate degree in economics. But, Elsa was still human, and could definitely appreciate the soft curves and golden glow of Honeymaren’s skin, and the silky sound of her voice despite the drunken stupor. Admitting that someone is attractive doesn’t necessarily mean you’re attracted to them, and Elsa was fine to find the sorority girl attractive. It was fine.

  
What wasn’t fine, was that she had subconsciously snuck onto Anna’s Instagram to see if Honeymaren was in any of the pictures Anna was constantly posting at the sorority house and events. Of course, she immediately shut her phone off once she realized how creepy it was, and shoved it down onto the table. She breathed a sigh of relief, only to immediately remember how soft Honeymaren’s hair was in her hands as she held it back.

  
Then she remembered the vomiting, and found herself feeling _completely_ fine and unattracted to Anna’s friend. She just needed to get laid, obviously. Perhaps it was time to attend a bar again.

  
Although, now that Gerda had moved out of their apartment, and Anna was almost twenty-one, she didn’t exactly have any close friends she could go to the bars with. The only person even near her age she could go with, was well, Hans. And it would be a cold day in Hell if she had to spend even a moment more with him than she already had to. She didn’t like the way the older man leered at Anna. What was a thirty year old graduate student doing with a twenty year old anyway? There was no way they had as much in common as he always reminded her. His endless repetition of listing out their mutual love of sandwiches, dancing, and dreams of getting married only made Elsa feel more uneasy every time Anna brought him over. She didn’t need to be reminded, and his charm wore thin on her.

  
She hated the way he looked at Anna. Like an actor pretending to be in love with an actress. But she saw him when Anna would turn her back, the way his plastered smile would falter, and the look of ownership he possessed. She had kept trying to shrug it off as her own silly amount of productivity, but she couldn’t fully neglect her intuition. Especially after the drive with Honeymaren the night before.

  
More than the fruity scent of her shampoo, and the softness of her skin (again, simply admiration not attraction, she reminded herself), what stuck out the most about Honeymaren was the first thing she had said as Elsa started the drive to her house. She had slurred out a quiet, “Anna’s really drunk,” Which was an incredible understatement, but then, “But I’m glad she’s drunk, and not with him.”

  
This had taken her by surprise, making her breath catch in her throat. She panicked, not entirely sure how to respond. The only person she had talked to about Hans was Anna when he had first started to date her, and while Elsa didn’t feel like he was the right person for her sister, Anna had been adamant that he was. She was scared to say anything, worried that if she tried to control Anna immediately, it would ruin what little work they had begun on their relationship. She decided not to press further when Anna defended him. This was the first time she’d heard anything to even slightly confirm her concern. She had glanced at Honeymaren, who was kind of slapping the safety belt against her chest, and decided that checking in on her sister through her friend wasn’t exactly a breach of privacy. She focused her eyes on the road before asking, “Why not?” When Honeymaren only giggled, not responding directly, she continued, her tone curt, and to the point, “They’ve been together for almost a year now. She tells me they’re pretty happy.”

  
Honeymaren only giggled again, lolling her head to look out the passenger window, before rolling it back to face Elsa, “I don’t like the way he makes her leave stuff early.” She drawled out, and then frowned, her voice jolting up an octave higher, “Everyone loves Anna, and she only stays for like an hour at the most. He always comes to pick her up, and he won’t come inside because it’s this big secret.”

  
A frown immediately crossed Elsa’s brow, as her grip tightened on the wheel, her knuckles whitening, “Why is it a secret?”

  
Honeymaren had gasped dramatically, “What? You didn’t know?” She fell silent, for a moment, and when Elsa side-eyed her she could see that she was biting her nail. Finally, she said, “He’s her teacher this semester, so they’re not supposed to be dating.” Elsa’s heart practically stopped, and she almost lost the feeling in her hands as they shook against the leather of the wheel. She shouldn’t have been surprised, Hans had become a lot more needy and Anna was away from the apartment for days at a time with him. If they had to keep it a secret, she was undoubtedly romanticizing it and scandalizing it. It must’ve been harder to keep her under his thumb when they couldn’t risk going out in public as often. Honeymaren’s voice seemed far away as she continued to chatter on about it, “And now she’s all like ‘oh I can’t go to this, I can’t go to that, I have to make plans with Hans’. Thank God she’ll be there for Bid Day tomorrow, it’s Winter Wonderland themed and-”

  
Elsa hadn’t even questioned why they were doing a Winter Wonderland theme in the middle of August, a subject she’d normally make fun of, “She’s missing out on events?” She questioned, glaring directly at the road. “How many things has she been leaving early from?”

  
“I dunno,” Honeymaren slurred again, propping her feet up on the dashboard, “It feels like everything these days. I don’t like the way he texts her. One time,” She shut her eyes tightly, “One time he sent her this text that said he’d really ‘lose it’ if he found out she was at a party with boys. Like she’s s’posed to be at a convent or something.” He was more dangerous, more controlling, than Elsa had feared.

  
By the end of the drive, Elsa felt like someone had shaken her. She had suggested they switch contact information, so they could keep tabs on the situation. Honeymaren had made a crude joke about it (that Elsa swore hadn’t made her blood rush to her cheeks and neck), but decided it might be for the best. Elsa left the house more nervous than ever, but also more sure that Hans was wrong for Anna.

  
And thank god, she wasn’t alone in that worry.

  
Elsa plucked up her phone from the kitchen table and sighed as she pilfered through her contacts. It would be easy to contact Honeymaren, to ensure she was feeling alright, and then press in further to ask more questions about Hans.

  
She sucked in a breath, and began to type.

***

  
The day had gone by surprisingly quickly, and Anna had realized that her hangover was practically gone by the time her second class finished. She knew she had to hurry home in order to get her Bid Day outfit on (she had promised Honeymaren she would wear extra sparkles this year, which would certainly take a longer time as far as makeup went), but she felt like she needed a coffee, and to give her friend a quick thanks for taking her shift.

  
The Trading Roast was booming by the time she opened the doors, the loud rush of college students chattering over the smooth jazz covers of popular songs that hummed in the background. She hopped into the long line and flipped through Instagram as she waited, sending a quick text to Elsa to let her know she’d be home soon, and asked her if she wanted anything from the coffee shop. She slipped her phone back into her bag with a little sigh.

  
Hans hadn’t texted her back yet.

  
It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, he tended to respond less when he was upset with her. And he had every reason to be. He knew that she hadn’t really let her phone run out of battery--she had screwed up and told him that the bidding had ended after the second day of Recruitment, so she didn’t have to be at the Delta Gamma house as late as she did the nights before. She rocked back and forth on her heels, trying to will him away from her mind.

  
It was probably her fault, really. She knew he didn’t like her going to kickbacks, and she knew he didn’t like it when she didn’t tell him where she was. It was kind of romantic, right? He was worried about her. He just wanted to take care of her. Hopefully, he would keep dating her after this, even though she knew she probably didn’t deserve it. Girlfriends are supposed to let their boyfriend know where they are, so they can keep being safe.

  
He had been cheated on before, too. And she had to keep remembering that. “Once you’re hurt,” He had said, “You can never be un-hurt. It is difficult to trust anyone.” She had promised she hadn’t cheated on him. She had sworn that she would never even want to. And why would she? Hans had a trust fund, she could follow her passion for writing and depend on him. And besides that, he was handsome and witty and charming, and great at dancing and-

  
He only kicked her out of his car and forced her to walk home on her own once.

  
He only threw her final paper in the shredder twice.

  
He only fucked her when she was too drunk to ask him to stop three times.

  
And she probably deserved it. Besides that, he loved her. He had told her so--he had told her the day that they had met, and his eyes had seemed so sincere. He looked like a movie star, the sparkle of his eyes sinking into her own, allowing her to be vulnerable, to let him see the real Anna. He bought her beautiful gifts, and told her beautiful things, and he loved her, so if she had to make a few sacrifices, they had to be worth it for true love.

  
She was still lost in her thought by the time she finally made it to the front of the line. Her eyes brightened as they landed on her coworker, barely a few inches taller than she was. He beamed at her from behind the counter, “Well hello there Anna! Fancy seeing you here, seeing as this is my shift now,” He leaned over the counter to pinch at her cheek like they weren’t the same age.

  
She laughed loudly and swung her tiny backpack onto the counter to fish around for her wallet, “I know, I know, I’ve been slacking off for so long now,” She winked back at him, “But it’s good to see you too, Olaf. You look very dashing today.”

  
He brought his hand up to his heart and sighed, “Oh, Anna, please, I’m at work!” He laughed, “I can’t flirt at work, you silly goose. What if Oaken hears?” He winked even harder at her, and she found herself laughing again. “Anyway, what can I get for you?”

  
“Uh, a grande iced Americano for me, and can I get um,” She squinted at the menu, trying to remember exactly what Elsa ordered, “A grande coconut milk dirty chai with an extra shot? Also iced, probably.” She huffed, “Jeez, my sister is a complicated woman. I think that’s what she likes.” She smiled again as she saw Olaf quickly jot every order down expertly onto the cups, to set them aside.

  
“Hooray! That’ll be $6.25 with your discount. So,” He dragged the word out, “How’s Recruitment been going?”

  
“Oh,” Anna wrinkled her nose, “Ya know, it’s exhausting. Just hours and hours with a lot of sweaty girls in a tight space.” She paused, and shook her head, feeling her face heating up, “Wait, that definitely sounded like a porno, and I promise it definitely isn’t a porno. It’s just. Y’know, a sorority house.”

  
“Thaaaat’s suspicious,” Olaf frowned playfully, “It honestly sounds like you’re still just promoting Pornhub. Is that secretly your philanthropy?”

  
Anna shrugged, finally pulling her credit card out of her wallet, and inserting the chip. “Yes? I mean, yeah, it might seem like I’m real nice and innocent. But you caught me, I’m a pornstar.” She gasped, “Not, not that there’s anything wrong with pornstars, all sex workers should be treated equally. They work hard for their earnings. I’m just not a sex worker, personally. But I might consider it in the right situation, you know?”

  
Her coworker laughed again, “You kill me.” He pressed a few buttons and handed her the receipt, “You know, you should really come to a kickback at the Beta house tomorrow. It’s crazy that I’m really the only Frat guy you know. I’m barely one at all.”

  
She felt herself shrink into her shoes. She knew that she was missing out on part of the college experience by dating Hans. But he was in love with her, and he was planning on asking her to marry him, and what was a silly Thursday night kickback in comparison to a lifetime of being with the right person? She offered Olaf a smile, “That’s so sweet of you to ask me to come,” She tried to think of an excuse, but he had cut her off too quickly.

  
“Hooray again!” He exclaimed, bouncing behind the counter, “Okay, well, I don’t have a shift tomorrow, but I’ll see you at the party okay? All of the guys are going to love you, and then we’ll have a bunch of mutual friends, and then we can hang out outside of the Trading Roast. It’ll be the best thing ever!”

  
She sighed out of her nose harshly. “Right, okay.” She really did want to go to the party with Olaf, but it meant she was going to have to spend the night at Hans’ condo again so he wouldn’t be suspicious. Which of course, would be worth it. A feeling of guilt sunk to the bottom of her stomach. She didn’t want to lie to him again so quickly after the night before. She really wanted him to trust her, but she also really wanted to be able to meet some new friends.

  
After she grabbed her drinks, and said goodbye to Olaf, she thought more about Hans on the walk back to her apartment. He had become a lot more skeptical of her ever since he started teaching her Poetry class, which she guessed made sense. It put their relationship in a very precarious situation, as his career and her degree relied on keeping quiet about it. He had asked her not to tell Elsa yet either, which made her feel a little on edge. She didn’t like keeping secrets from her sister.

  
It made her feel like a hypocrite to demand Elsa tell her the truth and be open with her, just to turn around and hide something so big from her.

  
Luckily, she was pretty sure Elsa had no way of finding out about her discretion. She and Hans had kept it between themselves for the most part, and while lying to her sister made her sick to her stomach, she had to admit that it was a little fun to be so secretive about her relationship with her boyfriend. Watching the glint in his eye as he caught hers during the lecture portion of class, or even just watching the way he would strut about the classroom, almost like a French monarch preparing war strategy.

  
She wasn’t sure why it was a French one, but it was definitely a French one.

  
Anna tried to focus on the good parts about him, a game she often had to play with herself to ensure it was still true love like he told her it was. He was right when he told her no one else could ever love him the way he did; that if she left him, she would never love anyone the way she loved him. She would be alone, and she knew it. So she had to focus on the good parts, right? Gotta be optimistic!

  
Like how they would laugh and talk the night away, sipping on fancy wine in the lovely condo his parents paid for with views of the lake, mountain and sky. The way the embers of his fireplace would glint in his eye, as something possessive and a little scary would overcome him, and he would lean in to her closer and closer until-

  
Anna’s brow furrowed in focus. It was normal for people to have sexual desires that were a little mismatched, right? And she wanted to please her boyfriend, even if it hurt a little sometimes. She didn’t want to be a prude with him. She had to focus on the positive parts! Especially if she was going to spend the night with him, which of course she was looking forward to. Of course she was.

  
After searching for her keys for far too long, Anna finally gave up with a frustrated little huff and knocked on the door to her apartment. She waited for a moment, before hearing the unmistakable bass of the music from the inside as it vibrated against her feet. She grinned, before knocking a little harder, and before she could even finish the little rhythm she always tapped out, the door was swinging open wide.

  
She was greeted by the beet red face of her sister, smiling ear to ear, who grabbed her arm with a sweaty hand and pulled her inside, jumping to the beat of the music. “And I would walk five hundred miles, And I would walk five hundred more,” Elsa screamed out, in the worst Scottish dialect Anna had ever been witness to, which made her laugh on command. She hurriedly set down their drinks, before turning her attention back to her sister, and dancing her heart out. She lifted her arm up to spin her sister around, bouncing up and down to the rhythm of the bass.

  
Elsa’s frequent impromptu dance parties were something Anna never expected from her regal older sister. But when Elsa finished a particularly difficult lab, essay or assignment, they had become a necessity in their household. “Badadada!” Her blonde sister yelled at her, whipping her silvery hair back and forth.

  
“Badadada!” Anna screamed back, bouncing up and down like she had when she was four years old at a Wiggles concert. Elsa grabbed her hands again, and bounced up and down with her, spinning her around, and attempting to dip her. She extended her arms out, which left both women giggling at each other as the song finally came to a close, equally sweaty, as they tossed their hair out of their face.

  
Once the chorus finally faded into nothing, Anna laughed again before asking, “Alright, El, what’d ya finish today?”

  
Her sister shrugged her shoulders, before stretching her arms up over her head, “Nothing that important.” But there was something written on her face that said otherwise.

  
Anna’s eyebrow shot up, as she looked at the goofy smile etched onto her sister’s face. “Really? ‘Cuz it doesn’t-” Her thought stopped in its tracks, and she felt a gasp escape her throat, “Oh my god, Elsa is it a girl?” At Elsa’s immediate shock, she smiled wider, “Did you meet a girl?”

  
“What?” Elsa’s eyes widened, and she straightened her back a little to feign composure to distract from the obvious reddening of her ears. “No, of course not, I’m just excited about your uh, your...what was the Snow Day thing today for again?”

  
Anna wanted to press further into what (or who) had made Elsa sit up so straight, but she was immediately jostled back to reality. “Bid day! Shit, that’s right!” She exclaimed, hopping up and immediately scrambling into her room, “I have to go put on a lot of silly makeup, but don’t you DARE think that I’m dropping the subject, missy!” She gestured from her eyes to Elsa’s to make sure her sister knew she wasn’t kidding around, and darted into her room.

  
Luckily she had remembered to set her outfit out (albeit a little, well, in a messy pile) on top of her bed the night before. She quickly hopped out of her jeans and tank top, discarding them in a larger pile of dirty clothing onto the floor that Elsa gave her a lot of flack about whenever she saw it. She pressed her lips together in concentration, expertly sliding into her sister’s white lace bodysuit she’d asked to borrow--Elsa consistently wore blues, whites and grays, making her look like a little snowflake all the time--and then into some dark blue retro shorts that made her ass look incredible.

  
She carefully curled her hair, bouncing along to some new music Elsa started to play in the other room, making sure to curl her hair delicately onto her shoulders. She sprayed a little bit of blue coloring and silvery glitter onto them, grimacing at the way their colors didn’t exactly compliment her natural strawberry blonde.

  
Deciding it wouldn’t really matter, today was about the new DG’s anyway, she began to happily begin her makeup, adding a little bit of glitter on her eyelids and to her contour, ending it with a little dab on the tip of her nose. After finishing up her mascara, she grabbed a pair of white and blue clout sunglasses and put them on, “Oooooh, Anna you are a stunner!” She cooed at herself in the mirror before winking and strutting out of her room.

  
Elsa giggled from the kitchen table as soon as Anna made eye contact with her. “Well, whaddya think?” She posed a little, and pretended to walk down the catwalk.

  
“That our father was incorrect about who the actual Ice Queen is?” She smirked, causing Anna to giggle.

  
“Nope, sorry, you icy bitch,” She pouted playfully, “I’m still his little sunshine, and no amount of ice-themed makeup will ever change that.”

  
Her sister shrugged in defeat, turning her focus back to the screen of her laptop, “What time do you think you’ll be home tonight?” She lifted up her iced chai and took a sip, eyes still locked on her screen.

  
“Oh, I uh,” Anna shifted her weight, and bit her bottom lip. She knew that Elsa wasn’t a fan of Hans--he hadn’t really made any effort to get to know Elsa outside of the occasional movie night Anna had invited him to. They weren’t really his cup of tea, though, so he hadn’t actually seen Elsa in a while. “I actually think I might stay over at Hans’ tonight? We haven’t really been able to see each other in a minute and-”

  
By the flat look on Elsa’s face, Anna could tell she wasn’t exactly excited about her evening plans, stopping her thought in its tracks. She bit her lip again, trying to think of a way she could make it better for her sister, before an idea popped in her head. “Wait, would you want to go to a little party thing with me and Honeymaren tomorrow?” Elsa’s eyes shot up at her, laced with confusion.

  
“Anna,” A light pink was coming back to her ears as she protested, “I’m a twenty-three year old graduate student, I really don’t have time to-”

  
“Please?” Anna fluttered her eyelashes jokingly, “You’ve already met Honeymaren, right? And she’s so cute and nice, and her twin brother is in Beta, and then of course, you know Olaf. He’s the one hosting it at his house!” She grinned as her sister rolled her eyes. Anna knew Elsa had a soft spot for her adorable coworker who always slipped her a free drink in between classes. “Plus, he’s always wanted to hang out with you!” She exclaimed in a singsong tone.

  
Elsa sighed loudly through her nose and took another sip of her drink. Her eyes flicked back up to meet Anna’s. “Tell him to text me the details, and I’ll see if I can fit it into my schedule.”

  
“Yay!” Anna grinned from ear to ear and hopped over to her sister, giving her a quick, glittery hug. “You’re the best sister ever! I’ll text you once I’m at Hans’ condo-” She gasped, “Oh my gosh, the Han-do. That has such a cool ring to it-” When Elsa cracked a smile, Anna grinned back, “And then, I’ll see you tomorrow and we can choose what we’ll wear together!”

  
“You are seriously going to be the death of me.” Elsa rolled her eyes, “Now get out, and go to your silly sparkly sorority thing.” Anna grinned and waved goodbye, but she could hear Elsa’s voice crack slightly as she opened the door to their apartment, “Anna?”

  
Anna turned back to face her, the afternoon sun cascading over Elsa’s golden features, “Yeah?”

  
“If you’re ever in trouble,” The look in her sister’s eyes was the same as the day they found out about their parents, and Anna could feel her heart practically freeze in her chest, “Please tell me.”

  
***

Even with her dark sunglasses on, the world still seemed way too bright and sunny for Honeymaren. Surrounded by screaming, glittery girls, cotton candy and endless photo ops of balloons, signs and “ICE TO MEET YOU” signs, she really wasn’t feeling optimal sorority energy. The glitter on her lips and lashes reflected dizzyingly in her vision, and sent her spinning all over again. Honestly, the night before felt hazy and embarrassing, and she was hoping that she’d dreamed up the entire thing.

  
Glimpses of Yasmine showing up at the kickback in her gorgeous green romper flipped through her mind. She was so spiteful about their breakup--and what was she thinking, bringing her new girlfriend to a DG kickback? Honeymaren felt like she was suddenly on the set of Legally Blonde. Or even worse, the Legally Blonde Musical. And to make matters even worse, her ex-girlfriend showing up to a kickback that wasn’t even for Kappa, with a much hotter and clearly more intellectual and extroverted woman, somehow wasn’t the most humiliating part of Honeymaren’s night.

She had woken up that morning, truly praying that she hadn’t met Anna’s sister like that for the first time. But memories of sweeping blonde hair, and graceful hands, and soothing words clouded her memory. Honeymaren had lost her contacts on the way to Anna’s apartment, but she could have sworn Elsa was an angel she had made up in her head, all white lace and crystal blue eyes. When she caught a text from an unknown number at the gym, she was certain that she hadn’t dreamed her up.

_Did everything go alright? If you need some aspirin, I’ll give Anna some to bring to you during your Bid Day. It was nice to meet you last night._

She had totally met Elsa. She had totally been drunk and crying and disgusting. And Elsa, the sister of her best friend, had held her hair back while she vomited onto the fucking sidewalk. If it was possible to die of embarrassment, it would have been then and there. Something about the text made Honeymaren feel even more nauseated, and she waited an hour before responding. She could temporarily remember talking about something important with Elsa. Something she probably shouldn’t have mentioned.

  
The stars were so bright in the sky, and the angel helped her up the steps of the sorority house. She looked so beautiful and elegant, Honeymaren had been convinced she was dreaming.  
Shit. Did she hit on her?

  
There was no way she would do something like that, even to a gorgeous, mature woman who she knew for a fact was attracted to women. Even while she was drunk, sad, lonely and jealous, she wouldn’t hit on her friend’s sister. It was Elsa, and she couldn’t even really remember what she looked like outside of a blurry white figure. If anything, she could be a ghost. She had to have said something different that she felt guilty about. She just couldn’t remember.

  
Honeymaren was jarred from her thoughts as she heard a bright, chipper voice bounding towards her, “Hey ‘Mare!” Anna’s voice called out, as the tiny redhead barreled into her, squeezing her tightly into a bear hug. “You look so freakin’ pretty, we have to get so many pictures, okay?”

  
Honeymaren could only groan in response, “Has anyone ever told you that you sound exactly like that chick from _The Good Place_?” She teased, only meaning it as a half-insult.

  
Anna flopped onto the grass beside her, “More often than you’d think, actually. I can also do a pretty good impression of like four cartoon mice. It’s pretty impressive, do you want to hear?”

  
“No,” Honeymaren begged, shaking her head slightly. “God, how are you this happy right now? This is seriously the worst hangover I’ve ever had.” She breathed out, her body shuddering . “I can’t believe I puked in front of your sister.”

  
Anna gasped, scandalized, her blue eyes widening, “You did WHAT.” She laughed loudly, “Oh my god, you did? I don’t think Elsa’s even ever puked in her life!” Honeymaren’s head pounded at every giggle.

  
“You mean she didn’t tell you?” Honeymaren frowned, “Shit, that means she didn’t think it was cute or funny.”

  
“Well,” Anna dragged the word out, “That’s Elsa for you. She gets pretty grossed out with stuff like that. But!” She scooched a little closer to Honeymaren to rub a little circle on her arm, “I’m sure she really liked you. She hasn’t said even one bad thing, which when it comes to Elsa, is definitely a win.”

  
Honeymaren groaned, “I guess we should go meet the new members, right?” Anna nodded her head enthusiastically in response, a bright smile practically splitting her face in half. She popped up onto her feet and offered Honeymaren her hand.

  
“Some insta-worthy content will make you feel better, come on,” She encouraged, “And, if you’re extra good, I’ll buy you something greasy before Hans picks me up!”

  
Honeymaren froze as the memory came flooding back to her. That’s what she’d told Elsa about--Hans. Hans and the way he would stare angrily at Honeymaren when she walked Anna down from parties. Hans, and the way he never introduced himself or even pretended to be interested in Delta Gamma, or Anna’s friends. The way Anna would neglect to hide the bruising on her arm and her neck sometimes, and look terrified to pick up the phone when he called. Honeymaren had told Elsa about all of it, and probably overstepped. She wondered if that’s why Elsa sent her a text, so that they could both keep tabs on Anna, to make sure she was okay.

  
Thank god she didn’t hit on her.

  
“Hello? Earth to Honeymaren?” She was jolted back to reality as her friend waved a petite hand in front of her eyes, “Woo, glad to see you again, I was starting to think you’d been possessed or something! And I love _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ , but I probably couldn’t stand it if I had to lift a curse or drive a stake through you or something. Because I love you more than Buffy. Which is saying something, trust me.”

  
“Stop it, Anna, you’re making me blush.” Honeymaren rolled her eyes, “But yeah, I’ll definitely take you up on some greasy food. It’s the only way I’ll get through today.”

  
Anna pouted, “Come on, you’re gonna have to buck up, cowgirl. We’ve got a long night of partying ahead of us tomorrow.”

  
“Wait, are you coming to Ryder’s thing?” Honeymaren was caught off guard. As far as she knew, Anna had never actually gone to one of the kickbacks at Ryder’s house. “Is His Majesty okay with that?”

  
Anna shrugged her shoulders, but her voice gave her nervousness away, “Well, I think if he just thinks I’m hanging out with you and Elsa, what he doesn’t know won’t exactly hurt him. And I’ll just turn my Snap-Map off so he can’t see where I am. Plus, Olaf invited me, and he took my shift today, so it would be rude to not go, you know?”

  
Honeymaren wasn’t so sure it was a good idea, but she also knew her friend deserved at least one night of fun. She also selfishly wanted Anna to meet some of her brother’s friends, “Well, I know that I’m probably going to be Ryder’s date to their formal in Jackson Hole,” She raised her eyebrows, “Maybe you could find a date too? It would be so much fun to go on a free trip with you and get all fancy and dressed up.”

  
Anna laughed, “Okay, we’ll see how comfortable I get. I don’t even take dates to our formals, because Hans is too old.”

  
Hans was way too old, and while Honeymaren didn’t want to be judgmental, she could tell he wasn’t right for Anna. She knew she’d have to respond to Elsa’s text sooner rather than later, even if it made her want to vomit all over again.


	2. "King of the Cage"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a reminder, this chapter does have mentions of domestic abuse, both physical and emotional.
> 
> It also has a lot of cute stuff, involving most of the characters acting like BIG OL' DORKS! You also get to REALLY meet Kristoff & the boys in this chapter woohoo! 
> 
> Fair warning, this chapter does TECHNICALLY include some underage drinking because Anna is a couple months away from turning 21, but everyone else in the chapter is either 21 or older! Pls be responsible and healthy, I'm rooting for ya ;)
> 
> Please enjoy, and thank you so much for all of your lovely comments and support!!!!

The bed was empty by the time Anna’s alarm went off in the morning, a dull ache permeated between her legs and the feeling of her tear-stained mascara was still sticky upon her cheeks. All things considered, her night with Hans went about as well as she anticipated. He was upset and worried. He even let her choose between him yelling at her, or let him take it out on her physically. She opted for the latter--he said less hurtful things that way, and she was thankful that the bruising on her ribcage and upper thighs could be easily hidden during the day. It was getting harder to come up with more dignified excuses for them when they popped up in more visible areas. 

She couldn't help but wince a little as she reached for her phone, a new bruise blossoming against her shoulder blade, but as she switched it off, she couldn't help but feel a little better when she checked on her notifications. The pictures she had taken at Bid Day were flawless, full of her smiling and glittering, with all of her friends looking like sexy snowflakes with her, against the brick walls of the Delta Gamma house. There was one, in particular, she'd loved more than the rest--a picture of her and Honeymaren laying on their backs, their hair caught up in each other, as they beamed upward to the camera. She'd changed her profile picture to that one, and put it as the first in per series of pictures in the post. Olaf, Elsa and Honeymaren had all commented, along with a few of her English classmates, her boss, Oaken, and a few other sorority sisters. 678 likes in total, a job WELL done, if you asked her. She set her phone back onto the nightstand. 

She groaned as she stretched her legs over to slide out of the bed and slipping on one of Hans’ t-shirts spread precariously on the floor. The condo felt surprisingly quiet. She crept out of the room, padding her feet against the hardwood floor, and found him sitting casually next to a lit fireplace, flipping through his phone, already in a sophisticated outfit and ready for the day. She grinned sleepily, always impressed by how fast he could get ready in the morning, and offered him a little wave, “Morning Hans! I didn’t even-” She interrupted herself with a yawn, “Hear you get up, you were so quiet. Sometimes, I feel like you’re secretly like, a Russian Spy or something and you’re-”

His unenthused eyes flicked up to greet her, “Anna, you’re rambling again.” He reminded her flatly, before turning his attention back to his phone. “And unless you can use that mouth for something more productive, I’d suggest you shut it. It’s too early for this.” 

Anna’s stomach flipped on itself. She knew he was kidding, but sometimes, his humor was so _dry_ it was hard to tell. Sometimes his flirting sounded threatening. “Dang, you really ready to talk dirty this early? I’m pretty tired after last night, honestly, baby-”

He sighed harshly, “Anna, I thought we decided against pet names.” So, he was in the _correcting mood_. That was okay--sometimes Hans could get a little grumpy, but she had to admit that she was a little disappointed by his attitude, considering the amount of sheer effort she had put into pleasing him the night before. Her throat felt scratchy too, sore and raw from her effort. She definitely would need some time to recover before they did anything like that again. 

She felt herself shrink, as she mumbled a little, “Sorry, I forgot.” And moved to sit on the chair next to him, pulling her knees into her chest. She tried to stay quiet as she watched him, his focus and smirk planted on whatever he was looking at. She contemplated grabbing her phone from his bedroom, but her legs hurt when she tried to move them, so she decided to stay in place as long as possible. Her eyes darted around the massive, elaborate room with the floor to ceiling windows facing a glorious view of the hills. Even though he was training to become an English teacher, Hans’ parents were able to definitely support him financially. It was a little unattractive, if you asked Anna, that he used up so much of their money. But, she couldn’t judge him too harshly, considering she was using her parents’ inheritance to fund her own English degree and fairly expensive lifestyle.

Hans was really supportive of her writing too, and she was happy to be placed in his introductory poetry class. While she wanted to be a novelist, she wanted to get better at writing poetry for him. Her prose really wasn’t the best, he liked to keep reminding her, giving her little notes on her dialogue and characterization. He really was going to be an excellent teacher, he knew exactly what to critique and how to do it. She was completely in awe of him, and wondered every day why someone as mature, sophisticated and brilliant as him would ever want to date a silly girl like her. She was pretty sure he wondered about it too sometimes. 

After a couple more minutes of silence, Anna decided she would finally speak up again, “Sorry, I think I might’ve left a pile of glitter in your bed,” She smiled wickedly, desperate for even a glimmer of his attention, “I guess that’s what you get from dating a sorority girl, though, right?”

Hans hummed, as if considering it for a moment, before deadpanning, “It’s fine. If it means I get to fuck such a supple, young body, I can handle a smidge of glitter.” Her eyebrows shot up. He never spoke to her like that--at least not outside of the bedroom. He grinned at her reaction, and she felt a slight sense of relief now that he was finally offering her some regard. “I hope you learned your lesson last night.” His tone was calm, but it still sent an unwelcome chill up her spine. 

She tried to play it innocently, “What do you mean?” She asked, trying to let her voice sound light and airy. It was easier if she let him underestimate her. He didn’t like it when she had “vinegar in her tone”, and would yell at her if she tried to dominate him. It wasn’t her job, and it made him feel uncomfortable. And she loved him, so she had to stay sweet so he could be honest and genuine around her. No punishment was worse than losing his trust or his adoration. She felt like she had learned that the hard way, time after time. 

Unamused, Hans’ tone remained curt, “Anna, I know you aren’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I know we are on the same page here. Don’t try to manipulate me.” He knitted his eyebrows together, and she could see the pure sadness and worry inside of him. Her stomach twinged again, and she looked away, unable to handle the distrust looming in his gaze. “I know that you went out last night, but you have to text me throughout the night. If I don’t know where you are, I worry.”

“Hans, you don’t need to worry about me. I’m in college, I’m supposed to go to some shindigs,” She offered him a little reassuring smile, “It’s normal.”

He sighed heavily, and shifted himself up to a standing position. He commanded any room, including this one, even with Anna as his lone audience member. He strode over to her, his feet pounding against the floor, before he knelt down in front of her, so close that she could see the wrinkles around his eyes. “Anna,” Her name sounded so sincere, “You don’t know what it’s like for me. I’m a man, and I was a man your age once. I know how I acted ten years ago and I-” His voice broke a little, as if on command, “You’re just so beautiful. And you’re wealthy, and young and naive. Other men will hunt you like prey, and when they capture you, they’ll hurt you. They’ll never love you the way that I do.”

She nodded her head. “I love you too, Hans.” She knew he was right, the boys she had hooked up with at parties before him, or her high school boyfriend, were never as attentive as him. They never said anything about love, but Hans knew she was worth it the day they met. He had said so, and almost even proposed. She couldn’t let something like that go. “But I would never cheat on you, or do anything to hurt you-”

“I have years on you,” He continued sharply, “ _Ten_ years of experience. What we have is love. You’ve never felt love before me, but I’ve felt love before you. I know what the world is, and I know, for a fact, that the only thing parties bring is danger.”

“Of course. Thank you for taking care of me.” She smiled weakly, her shoulders sinking against his scrutiny. If he somehow found out about the kickback at Olaf’s, it would break his heart. She had to keep him fully out of it, completely unaware. She wished he would trust her a little more, but she was also secretly thrilled that he wanted to protect her so much. That’s what princes did, right? And Hans was her knight in shining armor, willing to protect her against any evil.

Hans lifted his eyebrows, and offered her a well-practiced smolder, “I will always take care of you,” He offered his words like a contract, a promise. “But you have to keep up your end of the bargain. I hope your punishment last night helped you to remember that.”

Her legs suddenly burned again, as visions of her own screams and pleading rang through her ears like a forgotten melody. She almost started to cry again, but didn’t want him to worry about her. She had screwed up, and was able to fix things. They both suffered from one another equally. 

Love was all about compromise, right? 

***

By the time he had finished his fourth mile on the treadmill, Kristoff was completely drenched in sweat and exhaustion. He breathed heavily, his face definitely reddened and splotchy, as he slid the machine to a stop. He brought his water bottle up to his lips, and took a few refreshing gulps before jogging over to meet his friends near the weights. He had already lifted before they met him there, so he had no qualms falling down onto a bench next to them, grinning as they heaved up large metal dumbbells, their faces straining against the pressure. 

“I’ll be honest guys,” He relaxed into his sitting position, “I’m really digging my early classes this semester.” He teased lightly, raising his eyebrows arrogantly. 

His best friend, Sven, grumbled something under his breath, hoisting his bench-press into the air, before addressing Kristoff head-on, “Fuck you, Bjorgman. You laugh now, but you won’t tonight when you have to go to bed at 11:00pm, while we get to stay up as late as we want.” 

Olaf, another close friend of his in Beta, laughed as he set his weights down and stretched his arms up over his head, “Oooh, yeah, Sven’s right!” He agreed vehemently, before adding a sly, “Plus, we might actually get laid tonight without your lame dance moves, so technically, we’re grateful for your early classes too.”

Kristoff huffed, and laid back against the bench, “Okay, you’re very funny.” 

“Nah, I disagree,” Sven said, grunting as he set his barbell down to slide out from under the equipment and stretch, himself. “Kris here’s an incredible wingman, dude. Have you ever brought him in front of someone you’re trying to nail? One look at his moves and they’re all like ‘screw that big doofus, my eyes are on the prize with that shaggy guy over there’.” 

“Did you just describe yourself as shaggy?” He laughed at his best friend, and strode over to give him a little clap on the back. “Dude, I hate to break it to you, but I don’t think any women find that attractive.”

“Men find it attractive,” Olaf piped up, “Or at least I do.” He shot Sven a wink, before falling into a fit of giggles, “Just kidding! Ahaha, Sven attractive? Hilarious. I crack myself up.”

Sven knocked his head back and laughed, creating a full-volumed ruckus that practically shook the gym, “God, please, Olaf, when are you gonna sweep me off my feet already, huh?”

Olaf wiped a tear off of his cheek, “Too good-” His eyes went down to his phone as it buzzed, “Oh,” He drawled out, clearly remembering something, “Look at the time. I’ve gotta go set up for the kickback with Ryder tonight. But I’ll see you guys there right?”

“Uh, yeah,” Kristoff said, secretly dreading the party. It wasn’t that he didn’t like hanging out with his friends, but he always hated the mindless chit-chat he would be forced to partake in with whatever girl Sven happened to set his sights on that night. But if his three best friends were there, he could at least get a little fucked up and show off his god-awful dancing to them, and that would definitely be worth it. “Of course we will. We wouldn’t miss it for the world.” 

Olaf beamed and gave them each a quick hug, before bounding out of the gym, “Okie dokie! Don’t pregame too hard, I need to kick your butts in Rage Cage!” 

“You got it!” Sven called after him, eventually turning to Kristoff after he left. “I’m so damn tired, I feel like I’m gonna need like eight naps if I’m gonna rally tonight.” He bent down to grab his keys, wallet and phone before standing back up.

Kristoff nodded in agreement, “Yeah, dude I’m feeling that.” He sighed, before quirking an eyebrow at his friend, “Would you maybe want to grab some caffeine on the way home? I have like, no homework yet. And then I could kick your ass at Halo 4 until the party happens.”

Sven smirked at him, “I’ll definitely take some caffeine if you’re asking me out, dude. But I’m gonna have to rain check on Halo 4, considering I’m gonna be the one kicking your ass.” 

He’d laughed hard at that, throwing his arm around his friend as they exited the gym and headed towards the little coffee shop Olaf worked at. The campus was beautiful in August, with the sun shining through the trees, and the sound of birds singing between the laughter and conversation of eager students. He was lucky to be able to be so close to nature, and also so close to his very best friends.

Joining a fraternity was never something Kristoff had in his life’s plan. He thought they were stupid, the way they were portrayed on movies, or that they were full of rapists and peer pressure-ers like he’d heard about in high school. When Sven convinced him to go through Rush with him, he only did it begrudgingly. He had no idea that he would make so many close friends, especially Olaf and Ryder, and learn so much about consent, kindness and brotherhood. He loved every second of it--every game, every event, every hug and embrace he shared with the other men who had shown him even more what it meant to be comfortable with his masculinity. 

By the time they got to the Trading Roast, they were mutually excited to discover that it wasn’t as busy as it often was. They pushed the doors open, and immediately sighed at the cool breeze of the air conditioner. Kristoff was glad that they only had to wait behind three other people, before they made their way up to the front of the line. 

A small, frantic barista was running back and forth, quickly shifting all sorts of gear that Kristoff honestly had no idea how to work. She shouted a quick, “I’ll be with you in just a sec!” Before running a coffee over to the other side of the counter. She whispered a “Hot, hot, hot-” and slipped a mug cozy onto it and called out the name of the customer. 

“Hey, she _IS_ pretty hot, hot, hot-” Sven began to tease, before she slid back to face them, her face a flushed mess of freckles and unkempt bangs, with two braids barely holding her together. Kristoff almost snorted. She seemed like a character directly out of one of the artsy Sundance films Sven had to watch for his classes. 

“Hi!” Her voice was chipper, along with the bright beam of a smile she had plastered on her face, “What can I get you fellas today?” 

Sven piped up first, leaning his elbow against the higher part of the counter, “Hey, could I please get an iced venti caramel macchiato?”

“Mmhmm,” She grabbed a cup, and accidentally knocked a few over, “Oh shoot, I uh, one sec-” She scrambled to pick them up, placing them back onto their tower, and smiled at them sheepishly, “Sorry about that! You’re awkward, I mean, I’m awkward. You’re okay. I’m just-”

“Breathe, you’re good.” Sven reminded her, “We’ve got jobs too, we know how this goes.” Kristoff side-eyed him. His friend seriously couldn’t stop flirting, even for a minute. It was going to be a looooong day, especially if Sven was in this mood.

The barista grinned at him, and tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear, “Thanks, you have no idea how much that made my day,” She fluttered away to grab a new large cup to jot his order down on, “What’s a good name for you?” 

“Sven.” He sent her a little wink, causing Kristoff to immediately roll his eyes. 

“Okay, Sven!” She set the cup aside, with his name written on it with a little heart. “Can I get you anything else today?” 

“I dunno, he’s paying,” He shoved a thumb at Kristoff, who shut his eyes, and huffed a little impatiently. When he opened them, Sven was already on the other side of the room, saying hello to a group of people who he could only assume were fellow-film students. Sven was such an extrovert, it was hard to keep track of where he was. 

“Uh, great!” The barista beamed her smile at Kristoff from at least a foot below him. “Can I get you anything else today?” 

He looked up at the menu, and felt himself flushing a little. With all of the hullabaloo, and Sven’s endless chatter, he’d completely forgotten to actually look for a drink. “Shit, I uh.” He stammered, raking his eyes across the chalk written above her head, “I’ll get um...I guess that caramel apple thing?” 

“Really?” When he looked back down at her, her eyes were sparkling, “That’s so exciting! I haven’t even made that drink before, it was actually brought to our menu last week, but I haven’t had a shift in a week, and I’m-” She caught her breath. “Rambling again. I’m sorry. Okay, so that’s two caramel drinks for the big friendly giants, and that’ll come out to…$7.25.” He was a little offended by her “giants” comment, but his annoyance swiftly went away, when he noticed how dazzling her eyes were. He stared into them for a moment, before she glanced to the side uncomfortably and said, “This is the part in the script where you pay me. Are you maybe new to coffee shops?” 

“Sorry, um-” He blinked a few times, before frowning and fishing out his “Bad Motherfucker” wallet, and pulling out a $10 bill, handing it to her. “You can, uh, keep the change as a tip.”

“Disco,” She responded with a sly smile, accepting the bill. What the fuck did that mean? He narrowed his eyes in slight confusion, only to find her raising a single eyebrow. “Like in _Pulp Fiction_? Your uh, your wallet.” She gestured to it, and he felt heat rising to his cheeks immediately. How did he not get that? 

“Oh! Oh, right. Uma Thurman. Right.” He coughed, feeling like a complete tool, and pushed the wallet back into his pocket. 

“Alright, what’s a good name for you?” She asked, grabbing the Sharpie off the counter.

“Kristoff.” He grumbled, watching her jot something down with a gentle, practiced hand. 

By the time he got his drink, Sven was already waiting by the door of the coffee shop. He picked up his pace, knowing Sven was an impatient person, and jauntily strode out of the building at his side. They walked in silence for a few moments, before Sven let out a low whistle. Kristoff glanced at him, “What.” He deadpanned.

“I’m just sayin’,” Sven shrugged, his eyes glued to his cup, “I only got one heart by my name, _Christopher_.” 

“What?” He flipped the cup around to see the wrong name in a cute, girly handwriting with three little hearts surrounding it. “Oh come on, dude. She’s just doing her job.” He brought the drink up to his lips, and grimaced when he tasted it, “Also, she’s apparently fucking terrible at it, this is the worst thing I’ve ever tasted. I think she put espresso in my apple cider thing.” 

Sven laughed hard, “Sucks to suck, dude. That’s why I keep my drinks simple.” He held up his icy, creamy drink as a cheer, and laughed again. 

Kristoff poured the disgusting mixture out into the grass, but for some reason, decided he would keep the cup. He figured he’d probably throw it away when he got home.

He didn’t.

  
  


***

Elsa wasn’t sure how long she’d been staring at the three outfits lying on her bed. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d been to a real party, and she had no idea what she was supposed to wear. Or why she even cared. It was a silly, undergraduate party, and she had to be at least a year older than anyone attending. It didn’t matter if she chose the light blue dress over the purple skirt and halter top. Or if she chose a simple white sundress. No one would even really pay attention to her. 

“Elsa?” Her sister’s voice called out from the other room, before a few clumsy hops jostled the apartment as her younger sister stumbled through the doorway. “Will you help me with this zipper? I just-” She huffed, still trying to reach the back of her dress, until she saw Elsa’s underwear clad figure, causing her to burst into bubbly laughter. “Have you seriously not picked anything out yet? Do the blue dress, El, it looks great with your eyes.” 

Elsa scrunched her nose up and plucked the garment off of her bedding, before eyeing it up and down, “You’re right, this is probably my best bet.” She threw it over her shoulders and stuck her arms through the straps before sliding it into place and facing her sister. “What do you think?”

“That your hair is pretty staticky?” Anna grinned and took a step forward, “I’m just joshin’ ya, I think it’s gorgeous on you. Every girl there is gonna stumble over each other as soon as you walk in.” Elsa couldn’t help but smile. She knew it wasn’t entirely true, but she was happy that Anna could at least be the belle of the ball for the night. 

“This is like the first time in forever that I’ve gone to a party,” Anna squealed, bouncing a little as Elsa zipped up the dark green cocktail dress that hugged her sister’s figure perfectly. “With boys, I mean. Not that I’m trying to flirt with boys, Hans is the love of my life and all but-”

“It’s fun to feel pretty?” Elsa offered, “And you do look really beautiful, Anna.”

She did. Somehow, in all of the years Elsa was gone, Anna had figured out how to master honing her features perfectly through makeup and hairstyling. She looked like a golden ray of sun, the personification of a perfect spring day. It made Elsa sick to her stomach that anyone would try to control or manipulate someone so tender and full of life. She wished that she had prompted Anna to break up with him earlier, but still felt like it wasn’t her place to step in. If Anna was happy, then Elsa would be happy too. 

She just needed to talk to Honeymaren to make sure Anna was happy. 

As if on cue, a knock at the door startled both sisters. “I’ll get it!” Anna cried out, bounding towards the door, and Elsa followed quickly behind, before stopping frozen in her steps.

Honeymaren, dressed head to toe in yellow, from a sunflower in her hair, to a bright, snug jumpsuit, practically became the sun to Elsa, and she couldn’t look away. She was much more confident than she had been the night before, and she was giving Anna a quick hug, her hands wound tightly around her little waist. Elsa’s fears had been completely right, which shouldn’t have come as a shock to her. Honeymaren was literally and figuratively stunning, her skin glowing, and her eyes mesmerizing. Elsa blinked nervously when she saw the young woman bounding towards her. 

“Elsa! Hi, it’s so great to see you again.” Honeymaren’s voice was softer than she had remembered it, which made sense because as far as Elsa could tell, she was totally sober.

Elsa straightened up a little taller, offering her a curt nod, “Honeymaren, I’m so glad you’re coming with us tonight. Welcome to our apartment, I-” She was caught off guard when the girl’s arms wrapped around her, squeezing her closely into the soft curves and folds of her body. She could feel her chest tingle immediately at the warmth, and quickly pulled away from it to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. 

Anna clapped her hands excitedly, “I’m so _MAD_ I missed you two meeting! But I am so stoked to know you like each other. Yay!” She offered them a few “sorority snaps” before she skipped over to the liquor cabinet and pulled out an unopened bottle of Smirnoff Whipped Cream vodka that Elsa had bought her for her birthday. “Okay, ladies, it’s SHOTS time! We each need to do at least two before we go over to Ryder’s.” 

Honeymaren gave some snaps in response, before bounding over to her. Elsa followed behind, chewing on her lip a little nervously. Even at her age, she’d only had the occasional beer or glass of wine, but never any hard alcohol. Anna poured the sweet-smelling liquid into three shot glasses, and slid one over to both Honeymaren and Elsa. “Oooh, barista or bartender?” Honeymaren laughed, before plucking the small glass expertly up by her soft fingers. Elsa pried her eyes away, and picked up her own shot glass.

Anna grinned over at her sister, “Psst, Elsa,” She stage whispered, “It’s okay if you’re a little nervous! I’m just happy that I get to be here to watch you pop your cherry!” Elsa’s eyes widened in a look she hoped would read as _What the fuck, Anna?!_ which only made her sister laugh harder. Honeymaren’s golden focus landed onto her.

“Wait a minute,” She smirked amusedly, “Her Majesty, Queen Elsa, has never partaken in drunken shenanigans?” Elsa felt her face flush, before Honeymaren’s voice got softer, “Oh shit, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’m glad to be here with you too! You’re gonna be fine.”

Feeling a little more empowered by the teasing tone of the other two women in the room, Elsa shot a cold side-glance at Honeymaren that she _swore_ made the girl shiver. “Darling, I plan to get completely wasted. And as I recall,” She shifted until she faced Honeymaren completely, “I think you probably owe me at least one round of hair pulling.” She paused. _Wait, what?_ "I mean holding. Obviously. You know what I meant." That sounded completely not how she meant it to, but she decided not to correct herself when she saw Honeymaren’s eyes go wide. _Just go with it._

“Uh, ooookay,” Anna glanced between them, before laughing again. “So Elsa, what you do, is you put your shot glass down, and then we clink and then we drink!” Two shots later, and Elsa’s stomach was feeling warm, and she was happy, and her face felt tingly and she wanted to dance. 

All three women left the apartment in a fit of giggles as they headed down the block towards Honeymaren’s brother’s house, as she’d told Elsa. The wind was cold, against her burning face, and their laughter roared into the starry night sky as they embarked on their little quest towards the best night ever. 

And Anna, at least for that night, could safely have fun with her best friend and her sister. 

  
  


***

Kristoff had been completely relieved to discover that the party at the Atohallan satellite house was indeed, much more of a kickback. A few of his fellow Betas were sitting around a campfire in the backyard, while other ones yelled at each other during a game of beer pong, whooping and hollering as the game clearly grew more intense. There were a few girls, mostly the significant others of other men in the house, but Kristoff felt completely relaxed in the home of his closest friends. 

His friend Ryder, the president of their fraternity, was already fairly tipsy by the time Sven and Kristoff arrived. Olaf had been running back and forth, trying to make sure that everything was going “perfectly”, whatever that was supposed to mean. As far as he could tell, the kickback was perfect, with the sound of light music playing in the background, and the smell of homemade barbeque cooking on the grill. He sighed into his beer, and let himself feel completely at peace, before Ryder, inevitably tapped him on the shoulder.

“Bjorgman, dude,” He grinned sloppily, before reaching up to place both hands onto Kristoff’s wide shoulders. Ryder was a pretty big dude, but Kristoff still stood at least three inches taller than him, which always made him a little uncomfortable. He always felt like a bumbling oaf at these big parties, a giant among regular people. “I’m gonna kick your ass at Rage Cage. Get over here!” Before he could even question it, Ryder had looped his arm through Kristoff’s and was leading him over to an old fold-out table where Sven, Olaf and some other brothers were waiting for him. Dozens of Red Solo cups adorned the table in a circle, each filled with a tiny bit of cheap beer, with two ping-pong balls resting on either end of it. 

Sven looked around the table, grinning from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat, as he formed a quick strategy, “Okay, guys. We need to make sure Bjorgman gets shitfaced tonight. So make sure to cage him as much as you can!” The men at the table hollered and made silly faces at him, causing him to roll his eyes.

“Whatever, dude,” He chuckled out in response, “I’m the King of the Cage, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” 

“That’s something the guy who’s getting the _Bitch Cup_ would say,” Olaf warned jokingly, gesturing to a cup filled to the brim with mystery liquid in the middle of the rest. 

Kristoff laughed again, his large shoulders shaking, “Yeah, we’ll see about that. Also that smells disgusting, what’s even in it?” He looked to Sven, who only shrugged his shoulders.

“Sriracha, milk, and like seven types of tequila.” He smirked, “So good luck, Krissy, see you on the other side.”

“You’re on, dude.” Kristoff picked up the ping pong ball, and the game began with a riot. He hit the ball into his empty cup immediately, before sliding it over to Olaf on the other side of the table. Olaf groaned, and took forever, before the other cup went around the table and stacked the cup under his, signaling the first loss of the game.. He grimaced as he sucked down one of the cups of beer before attempting to bounce the ball in again. Finally, he was able to pass it to his right, and the cup landed on Sven. He bounced the ball in immediately with a loud cheer and slammed it towards Kristoff who immediately cursed him. 

The game continued, and the stacks of cups got taller and taller, until Kristoff felt like there was no way for him to land the ball into it on the first try. He sighed in relief when he could pass it to Ryder, who skillfully managed to get the ball in immediately, and shoved it back at Kristoff, who promptly flipped him off. He focused, his eyes narrowing on the cup, although already, he could feel the numb warmth of the beer in his system. Suddenly, he felt like it was his life’s purpose to win this stupid game, and to avoid the full cup. But this was his last chance.

The boys around him drunkenly sang _The Final Countdown_ as he and Sven faced off, each expertly preparing to bounce the ping pong ball from the table, and into their enormous stacks of cups. He had one chance to get this right. And he wasn’t going to blow it for anything. He had to make Sven the loser, it was the only way to hold this memory over his friend for the rest of their lives. He aimed, he leveled his hand, and then-

“Christopher!” A cheery, familiar shout rang loud and clear over the game, causing Kristoff to miss his shot entirely. The sound of Sven stacking his pile of cups onto Kristoff's with a winning howl seemed far away from him. The boys around him started guffawing about Sven, and shoving the mystery drink into Kristoff’s face, forcing him back to reality. 

He clutched it, chugged the whole thing begrudgingly, feeling the disgusting mixture fill his system and send his head spinning. He crushed it to the sound of his cheering frat brothers, threw it to the ground, and turned to face the barista he’d met just hours before.

“It’s Kristoff,” He corrected. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kristoff thinks he is WAY cooler than he is lmao.
> 
> Also I knOW I posted two chapters TWO DAYS IN A ROW but they'll be more infrequent (like twice a week) in the future haha! lots of love <3


	3. Another Open Door

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yAY WOO a longer chapter!!!! I was gonna post tomorrow but I just couldn't wait lol, I have NO PATIENCE

The kickback was a little bit smaller than those Anna had gone to as a freshman, before she started dating Hans. The music was loud, the lights were dimmed, and the musty scent of sweat, alcohol and Febreeze swirled around them as they entered. Honeymaren turned to grin at her, and talked loudly over the music, “You’ve met my brother before, right?” She asked. “He should be around here somewhere, and then I can introduce you to all of the Betas!” 

Anna nodded, “Yeah, you brought him to the formal last year!” She glanced around, trying to spot Olaf. It had been so long since she’d met a single fraternity member, and if she was being honest with herself, she was a little nervous. She loved parties, meeting new people, and being the center of attention, but being completely new somewhere was a little bit outside of her comfort zone. There weren’t a ton of people there, and she felt like she had maybe overdressed a little bit for the occasion. 

She glanced around a little more, surprised by the cleanly state of the house--it wasn’t like some of the other satellite houses she’d been to, where garbage was littered on the floor, and a mysterious carton of jungle juice leaking sticky purple liquid on the ground. This house was nice, and there were snacks and beer set casually on the table, one of which immediately grabbed her attention, and apparently Elsa’s too, as they exclaimed, “Chocolate!” in unison, and giggled at each other. They’d been doing that more and more lately, talking in unison, to the point where it was starting to get scary. 

Honeymaren grinned, “Have you guys never tried Olaf’s cupcakes before? I would literally kill and die for them.” She placed a hand on the small of Anna’s back and pushed her towards the table gently, “You guys go ahead and grab me one, and I’ll see if I can find Ryder so he can introduce you to the boys!” And in a blink of an eye, Honeymaren had vanished into the house, a flash of yellow bounding into the chaos.

“Well here we go,” Elsa glanced at the table, snagging two cupcakes off it, and handing one to Anna, which she clutched gratefully, “Into the unknown.” 

Anna cheered her cupcake into Elsa’s, and peeled the wrapper off, discarding it in the little trash bin she’d discovered next to the table, “How are those shots feeling?” Her sister was a pink in the face, and if she was anything like Anna, she’d definitely be feeling a little tipsy by now. Elsa shrugged.

“I mean, I was feeling it outside,” She glanced around, and peeled her own wrapper off, “But honestly, I’m fairly sober now. Still pretty confident, though. I feel…” She wiggled her shoulders, “Sexy? I don’t know, that kinda sounds weird to say.”

Anna couldn’t help but smile even wider, “No, no, no! That’s wonderful, Elsa. You should feel that way!” She didn’t want to say anything, but she had to agree that Elsa’s confidence was coming off in a fairly dominant and flirtatious way. She could see the way that Honeymaren practically crumbled to pieces every time her sister caught her eye. She was definitely going to ask her friend about it, once she was a little more tipsy and willing to talk. It was absolutely something she was going to keep an eye on.

Anna had always been a true romantic, and when she saw the look on her sister’s face when she laid eyes on Honeymaren in that  _ gorgeous _ jumpsuit, she knew it was something a little more than admiration. Plus, Anna wasn’t an idiot--she could see that Elsa was a lot more talkative while Honeymaren had been around. The two of them had been complete, adorable chatterboxes the entire walk to the party! And Anna would be  _ damned  _ if she let chemistry like that go to waste. Her sister was so gorgeous and smart, and her best friend was so kind and charming. They would be adorable together, and a fun party was the perfect place to ensure their bond getting stronger. 

She just needed an excuse to force them to be alone together. She smiled to herself as she took a bite out of the cupcake and practically moaned as the flavor washed over her tongue. She giggled around her next bite, as Elsa had the exact same reaction over her cupcake. She liked Party Elsa, and grabbed them each a Mango White Claw (not ideal, but it would have to do) from the table. Her fun night was only just beginning, and she was focused on making sure Elsa had the best night ever. 

“Anna!” A familiar voice called out over the music, and she felt excitement bubble up from her stomach as her eyes landed on her coworker and friend, “Elsa! My favorite sisters. Welcome to my party! I’m so glad you guys came.”

“Hi, Olaf,” Elsa greeted him with her highest possible level of enthusiasm, while still maintaining the posture of a Queen. Anna was already tripping over herself--sometimes she wondered how they were even related. “Thank you so much for the invite, your house is lovely.”

Olaf swayed from side to side, his hands clasped over his heart, “Aw, shucks, Elsa, aren’t you just the sweetest thing?” He gasped, “And look at you two! You’re drop dead gorgeous.”

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” Anna smiled at him, “And wow, Olaf, where did you learn to bake like that? Those cupcakes are seriously to die for.”

“Aw, you two flatterers,” He pretended to wipe a tear from his cheek, before bouncing up and down, “Oh, Anna! I can’t wait to introduce you to the boys. I know that some of them definitely have a thing for redheads, and I can’t just sit idly by without getting you a date for our fall formal. Did you know it’s gonna be in Jackson Hole this year?” 

Anna paused, and glanced at Elsa. She had totally forgotten to mention that Olaf had no clue about Hans, and that she needed to keep him a secret. Elsa silently nodded her head, and Anna breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn’t explain to her coworker that she had a boyfriend, without telling him who he was. Or that he was ten years older than her. Or her teacher. She forced a bigger, faker smile onto her face, “I’d really like to make some more friends in Beta! I already know you, and Ryder and-” 

Her eyes landed on the other side of the room, where a group of cheering boys (one of which she recognized as Ryder, who was a more masculine replica of Honeymaren) were chanting and shouting at two enormous men playing off in the final moments of Rage Cage. She recognized them immediately, and she felt her smile become more natural. They were the two boys who came into the coffee shop just earlier that day! The nice ones who had been so patient with her, even when she screwed up their order, and knocked drinks onto the floor, because her legs wanted to buckle underneath her. The bruises were still pretty painful, so she was grateful for their kindness. 

She couldn’t remember the name of the shorter, thinner one, but she wracked her brain for the name of the taller, muscular blond. “Oh! Olaf, I know him-” She smiled at her friend, “The tall, blond guy? He came into the Trading Roast today!” 

“You mean that funky looking donkey over there?” He raised his eyebrows at her questioningly, before saying “Yeah, that’s Kristoff-”

That’s  _ right!  _ She remembered, and waved her hand high above her head, “Christopher!” She shouted out before bouncing over to him. It was so exciting to see a familiar face! And she already knew at least two things about him--he was in Beta (and therefore friends with her friends!) and he liked Tarantino movies (or at least  _ Pulp Fiction) _ .

From what she could tell, in that moment, he lost the game, and all of the other frat boys erupted in cheers as he sorrowfully gulped down what she could only assume was the  _ Bitch Cup _ . She gawked at him, shocked at how fast he gulped it down the mystery liquid, and felt her breath catch in her throat as he stared her down, crushing the red solo cup in one hand. She almost wanted to giggle at him when he gruffly corrected her, “It’s Kristoff.”

She bit her lip to keep from laughing, “Okay,  _ Kristoff, _ ” She clapped her hands sarcastically, “That was quite a theatrical entrance. Honestly, I’m impressed, bravo!” Olaf snickered beside her, and she could hear an amused little huff from Elsa behind her as well.

_ Kristoff,  _ as she was reminding herself, stepped forward and narrowed his eyes at her. He opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly, Honeymaren’s brother was cutting in. “Holy shit dude, you know Anna?” He turned to face his much taller fraternity brother, giving him a little clap on the back.

Honeymaren looked at Anna, “I thought you said you only knew Ryder and Olaf?” 

Ryder was a sweetheart, from what Anna could tell out of the few times they’d met, and she found herself getting even more excited by the minute as attention shone on her like a spotlight. She popped open her White Claw, “I thought I did too! But I met  _ Kristoff  _ here,” She nodded towards him, and his eyes widened a little, making him look a bit like a lost puppy, “And his friend over there-” She gestured at his long-haired friend from before, “This morning at the Trading Roast! And from what I understand,” She turned her gaze back to Kristoff, “This blondie is one ‘Bad Motherfucker’.” She smiled up at him sweetly. 

The shaggy-haired friend hopped over the table, and slid over to where their little group was standing, “Ooooh, he is one intimidating bastard, isn’t he?” He cooed, leaning against Kristoff, who rolled his eyes but stood as still as a Roman statue. 

And now that Anna was thinking about it, the man looked like he was cut from marble. He had to be 6’2” at  _ least _ , and she could see muscle bulking beneath his tight t-shirt. He would be intimidating, if his cheeks weren’t so rosy, and his eyes didn’t give away what a little softie he was. Kristoff grumbled, and pushed his friend off of him, “Okay, really, guys, enough with the compliments.” He sighed, “Honestly, Sven I don’t think that drink was strong enough. I’m gonna go get a beer, if you’ll excuse me.” He nodded stiffly at Anna, before stalking off. 

Anna turned to Honeymaren and laughed, “Boy, he sure is a charmer, isn’t he?” 

“He’s a bit of a fixer-upper,” The shaggy-haired friend shrugged his shoulders, “Doesn’t really know how to act around pretty girls. He’s the honest good, though. Trust me.” 

If Anna was being completely honest, she didn’t really care. She’d met crabby boys like Kristoff before, who only went to parties to hang out with their friends. If anything, Kristoff was a little refreshing. He didn’t try to sleep with her before letting her know he didn’t want to be her friend. He just was straight to the point, and she was totally fine not wasting her time with him. She smiled at his shaggy-haired friend anyway, grateful again for his support, “That’s okay, I honestly don’t mind.” She reassured him, before turning to face her suddenly quiet sister. She flushed, before shoving Elsa in front of her. “Oh! I’m so rude. This is my sister, Elsa.” 

“Hi Elsa!” Ryder cut in, his smile sloppy from drink, and shoved a hand at her, “I’m Ryder, this is Sven, and that was Kristoff.” 

Elsa took his hand gratefully and gave it a little shake, “It’s nice to meet you. This is a really nice party.” Anna couldn’t help but notice Honeymaren was staring at her sister, a little grin plastered on her face. She watched Honeymaren drool over her sister, until her friend noticed, and widened her eyes in embarrassment before looking elsewhere. 

_ Uh-huh _ ,  _ I bet,  _ Anna thought, smirking between her sorority sister and her biological one. She took another sip of her drink, and looked around the party at her new friends, briefly allowing herself another glance at the blond tall drink of water, smiling and laughing with some other Betas in the kitchen, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he sipped his beer. 

  
  


***

The sun was setting over the hills, the sky was darkening just beyond the horizon, and that little  _ brat _ had not responded in over four hours. Hans was getting impatient. It was quite clear to him that his lovely, little girlfriend wasn’t very clever, and he could always tell when she was lying. Somehow, it seemed very unlikely that she would simply spend a Thursday night solely with her silent, pompous sister and that harlot known as “Honey” or whatever. They were obviously influences on Anna, and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep her wrapped around his finger.

He was really angry that she hadn’t dropped out of his class yet. He was planning on proposing by October, to solidify his place in her inheritance, as his was getting slimmer and slimmer as his elder brothers began to pop out more and more heirs to the company and land his parents owned. He needed to get cracking on it too--and he was sure he could convince Anna to marry him. Even if it meant he would have to poke a hole in a condom or two, he knew he had to convince her.

She’d cried a lot more than she normally did the night before, and her grotesque sobbing really ruined the occasion for him. Somehow, her snotty little nose and whimpers didn’t make him want to impregnate her. Eventually, he just opted to wrap a hand around her throat tight enough to shut her up, which he really didn’t  _ mind  _ doing. She seemed upset when he did it, though, and while he didn’t entirely care, he at least needed to get her pregnant and under his control completely before he could _ really  _ do what he wanted with her. She was at least becoming a little more subdued in her endless chatter, and he was sure he could make her much more obedient. A perfect little wife. He just needed to break her slowly, so she couldn’t entirely run away from him. He couldn’t lose all of that precious money she was attached to. 

Of course, he needed to throw her a bone every once and awhile. And if she wasn’t going to answer his texts, if she wasn’t going to obey him and stay at home, without the lingering gaze and temptation of others, he was going to at least ruin her night.

He swiped open his phone, and began to type out a smidge of poetry to send to her. To let her know that he must always be on her mind. 

_ Love is an open door, my dear. _

_ If we are not careful, a door may swing on its hinges _

_ The trust, the vulnerability, the openness gone _

_ Leaving you shut out and alone _

_ On a cold, wooden floor. _

_ I would never want to leave you alone. _

_ My door is always open. _

_ Is yours?  _

He pressed “send” rather harshly, before turning back to his couch, and sitting down. It was time to grade the first terrible poem she’d written. He would need to give her at least some positive feedback, but in reality, she was an awful poet. He would pat her ego, but of course, give her a few notes of criticism. Maybe it would encourage her to drop the course, so he could propose to her sooner rather than later. 

***

The party was going swimmingly--it was easily the best kickback Honeymaren had been to in a long time. In all honesty, it might’ve been because Yasmine hadn’t shown up with her new  _ awesome girlfriend _ yet, but she also felt a lot lighter and happier than she had in a long time. She knew she looked amazing in yellow, and the music had been exciting, and if she was being honest with herself, it  _ might’ve _ had something to do with Elsa. Not in a romantic or sexual way or anything, but it was fun to have someone new to talk to. 

Sure, she was definitely easy on the eyes, but Honeymaren just liked watching her--the dichotomy of the nervous way she sipped on her drink, compared to her overall regal disposition. Her wit was sharp, and her stare was intoxicating, and okay, maybe it was because she was tipsy, but Honeymaren definitely wanted to leave some marks on that flawless, porcelain neck. But not super badly, just in a normal, desperate “I haven’t been laid since my ex-girlfriend” way. Totally. She just wanted to see Elsa when she was a little less intimidating, that’s all. It wasn’t like she wanted to find out what was under that tight blue dress or anything. 

Honeymaren wasn’t sure how she’d ended up waiting outside of the bathroom for Anna, holding her phone and drink, but it felt like she’d been waiting there for  _ hours _ by the time her phone buzzed. Her eyes widened as she read the first couple lines of the poem--that was super creepy. And really cryptic. And she knew she needed to let Elsa know immediately. She searched the room for a sign of the gorgeous--okay not gorgeous, she knew what she meant--blonde, sighing with relief as she saw her chatting with her brother. 

She took one last glance at the bathroom, before quickly walking over to where Ryder and Elsa were standing. “Hey guys,” She interjected, obviously worrying about Anna, and not wanting to talk to the taller, more mature woman for any other reason. “Do you mind if I borrow Elsa for a sec?” She asked her brother, and lightly wrapped her fingers around Elsa’s thin bicep. She was a little shocked at how  _ cold  _ her skin was, but decided to shrug it off.

Ryder was definitely drunk, and his words were slurring a bit, “Go for it! I was just talking to her about what it’s like to be in a frat, and how much fun we get to have!” Honeymaren locked eyes with Elsa, who was clearly glad to have a way out of the thrilling conversation. 

“Oh,” She smirked knowingly at Elsa, having to be stuck in that conversation one too many times, herself, “Well, I need some fresh air, so I’ll just snag her real quick and we’ll be back in a jiffy!” She tugged on Elsa, who quickly bid her brother farewell. 

Honeymaren realized she was still holding onto the soft, pale arm by the time they reached the door of the house. She shivered and let go, recognizing that Elsa probably wasn’t as comfortable with physical touch as her snuggle-bug sister was. Anna was always playing with everyone’s hair, linking arms with them, giving hugs to everyone she just met. Elsa had stood completely still earlier that day when Honeymaren embraced her. She realized she had to be more chill about that.

Her head was swimming lightly, her stomach still burning faintly with the subtle feeling of alcohol when they walked outside. The cool night breeze was decadent on her skin, and she couldn’t help but shut her eyes as she leaned against the railing of the porch. Elsa emitted a tiny giggle behind her, jolting her back to their reality. To the reality where she was standing on a porch, drunk, with the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen. She almost forgot why they were there in the first place.

“Do you always talk like you’re a child in 1962?” Elsa’s voice was deep; seductive without even meaning to be, and even though she was teasing her, Honeymaren’s heart still felt like it was beating faster. She shivered again, probably only from the night air. 

“What are you talking about?” She gasped mischievously, “Oh my god, are you drunk, Elsa? My, my, my,” She took a step forward and waggled her eyebrows, “How the turn tables.” 

The taller woman cocked a perfectly shaped eyebrow and crossed her arms, “You said we’d be back in a…” She trailed off, “Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I think you said the word ‘jiffy’. I almost wanted to ask you if you wanted a Scooby Snack or something.” She shifted her weight into her hip, her light blue eyes sparkling amusedly at her. What a  _ tease _ . 

She almost wanted to say,  _ I’m sure you could give me something to eat _ , before she felt her entire body heat up. “I’m drunk.” She admitted abruptly, “I am  _ much  _ more drunk than I thought I was going to be.” She felt embarrassed and silly, and pulled her eyes away from Elsa. She couldn’t think about things like  _ that  _ about her best friend’s sister. What if Anna was objectifying Ryder? Honeymaren would  _ kill _ her. She really needed to be more respectful.  _ Right _ .

Elsa chuckled again, her hips swaying deliciously as she took another painful step towards her, “Did you ask me to come out here with you just to point out the obvious? Because if so,” Her smile was suddenly warm, “I’m pretty drunk too, I think.” 

She knew her heart was pounding in her chest and dear _GOD_ if alcohol didn’t make her think stupid thoughts; _like that fucking_ _hair-pulling comment she made back at the apartment_. She clutched her hand around Anna’s phone and-- _RIGHT_. Anna’s phone! That’s why they came out here. She felt her own rosy disposition falter as she looked up at Elsa seriously, “So Anna, um-” She started, struggling to find the right words as her mouth felt a little numb, “Anna gave me her phone when she went to the bathroom, and uh…” She offered the object to Elsa, “I thought what he sent her was a little creepy. And you wanted me to let you know when I-” 

Elsa cut her off, plucking the phone right out of her hand and scanning her eyes over the weird poem Hans had sent her sister. Her smooth face was suddenly overcome with worry lines and stress. Honeymaren suddenly wanted to touch her again, to promise her she would do anything she could to protect Anna, and that everything would be okay. She decided against it, knowing her mind was probably too cloudy to make such valiant gestures. Especially to this woman she’d only soberly met that night. She didn’t want to seem creepy. 

Honeymaren waited for a moment, watching Elsa’s sky blue eyes scanning over the phone repeatedly. “What do you think it means?” She finally asked, nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other. 

Elsa’s bright eyes flicked up to meet her own, the anger and fury in them practically turning Honeymaren to stone. “I think it means we need to get more serious about this.” Her voice somehow dropped an octave lower, an alto rumble that almost shook Honeymaren to her core. She could only nod her head.

“I don’t think she should be with him,” She relented, her eyes searching Elsa’s. 

“Neither do I,” She broke their eye contact, clicking the phone off, “But we also need to be considerate of Anna and her privacy. We can’t let her know we saw this. However,” Honeymaren would’ve laughed, if the situation weren’t so dire.  _ Who said “however” that casually?  _ Elsa’s posture stiffened, looking like a Queen with the power to order anyone’s head on a platter, “We will have to make a game plan. We need an alliance.” 

Honeymaren couldn’t help but actually laugh at that, “You mean like a battle strategy? Or a friendship? What are we talking about here?” She felt nervous next to Elsa, like she should curtsy to her or something. 

“I think we need to set up more outings like this,” Her voice sounded like it was about to break, “We need to give her a safe space, so she can see that what he does to her isn’t okay. Maybe she’ll even be honest with us about her relationship with him, if we work together.” 

“Do you think there’s stuff she isn’t telling us?” Honeymaren couldn’t help worry. She was so open with Anna about everything, and she couldn’t imagine that Anna would neglect to tell her about something. 

Elsa let out a shuddering sigh, making Honeymaren want to wrap her up in her arms and promise her safety again, “I’m almost certain there is. She’s completely convinced he loves her, and we just need to be cautious about our approach.” She turned to face her once more, locking her eyes in a more tender embrace, “But I think we need to do this together. I think, between the two of us, we can create an honest safety net.”

Honeymaren nodded, “I would do anything for her.” She promised, “Just let me know what to do, and I’ll do it.” 

“Personally, I think it would be best for you to ask about her classes on the way home. I’d like to see if she’ll be honest with me about Hans teaching one of them-” She cut herself off, and lowered her attention back to Honeymaren. The smile that appeared on Elsa’s face was so warm, Honeymaren could feel herself melting, “Thank you.” 

Anna was one of the most lovely people Honeymaren had ever met. Tonight was the first night she’d seen the redhead sparkle and bounce that much since they were Freshmen, since she met Hans. If Elsa was the key to bringing that sparkle back--if they could work together to ensure Anna’s safety--Honeymaren would be willing to do anything. 

Even if it meant forcing her eyes off of Elsa’s  _ perfect _ ass as they walked back into the house. 

***

It was getting late, and Kristoff knew that with the amount of alcohol he’d consumed, there was no  _ way  _ he would be making it to class in the morning. The party had been surprisingly more fun than anticipated, between the drinking games, the chatting, and the impromptu game of basketball he’d played with Ryder and Sven. He found himself leaning against a wall, and flipping through his phone as he sobered up from the night. 

A throng of the party-goers had been dancing to some new pop hits, along with some old ones he hadn’t heard in ages, with the barista twirling around with Olaf and a couple of his frat brothers’ girlfriends. She was a surprisingly good dancer, with her bouncy personality and her swishing hips. She had a pretty smile too, and her energy was completely vivacious and contagious. She’d become the center of the party far more quickly than any girl Kristoff had encountered. She almost seemed like a tiny bird, chirpy, laughing, and small as she flitted about, grabbing hands, giving hugs and twirling her new friends around the living room.

“Come on dude, just go talk to her,” Was the last thing he wanted to hear, and he practically groaned as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. Sven leaned against the wall beside him, a shit-eating-grin plastered on his face. 

“Who?” He asked, in an effort to remain aloof. 

Sven chuckled and read him like a book _ , _ “Okay, so I don’t know if you know this,” He rested a mocking hand on his shoulder, that Kristoff immediately shrugged off, “But we’ve been friends since we were six. And I have  _ never  _ seen you avoid the dance floor at a party. Which, I’ve deducted, is because you don’t want her to know what a shit dancer you are.”

It was definitely time for another drink. Kristoff silently moved off the wall, rubbing his hand against his face as Sven obnoxiously followed him into the kitchen. “Come on, Kristoff,” He sang, “Maybe it’s time to swipe that V-card, dude.” He waggled his eyebrows. 

“Sven, you know I’m not a virgin.” He coughed, and spun around to face him, “Come on, man, don’t say that so loud.”

“Okay, well,” He elaborated, “It’s time to lose that  _ emotional _ V-card. Go just like, ask her about her major. Tell her about yours. See what happens. Maybe take her back to your room-”

“Dude, you know I don’t take people places,” He chided, swiftly opening the fridge to procure another Heineken. 

“You take me everywhere,” He pouted jokingly, “You can’t even go to the gym without me.” 

“Frat brothers are better than girls, dude,” He sang jokingly and shrugged, “Sven, don’t you think I’m right?” 

“I’m not playing this game with you again, dude. You sing that so often, I think you’re actually starting to believe it.” He grabbed his own beer before leaning against the counter nonchalantly. “If you don’t make a move, someone else is going to. She’s really cute and really nice, and you’re gonna keep being really  _ lonely _ if you’re stupid about this.” 

He wiped his hand against his face again, and sighed loudly, “You got me.” He grumbled, “ _ Fine _ . I’ll go apologize to her for being such a dick, and then? I’m coming right back over here.” 

His best friend grinned wickedly, before slugging him on the arm, “Sure Bjorgman, whatever helps you sleep at night.” 

He flipped his friend off promptly, before spotting the tiny redhead sitting on one of the couches, panting hard from all of her dancing, her face as flushed as it had been earlier that day. He groaned loudly, and turned back to face Sven, who only gave him a wink, and stalked over to the couch. He sat down beside her, and she jumped, as if seeing him for the first time. 

Kristoff was starting to notice that she did that a lot. she was a little bit of a space cadet, and she always looked like a deer in the headlights when someone brought her back to reality. Not that he’d been staring at her the whole night, or anything. At least, not in a way he didn’t normally do; people-watching at kickbacks was easily the best part of them. He was secretly a “messy bitch that loved drama” as Ryder would tease, although he wouldn’t admit it. It was kind of fun to watch the night unfurl. 

“Hey there, stranger,” She grinned at him, sitting a little straighter so she could face him. He’d forgotten how big and  _ sparkly  _ her eyes were. He coughed, a little awkwardly.

“It’s Anna, right?” He asked her, suddenly feeling like an enormous oaf next to her. He felt like Wreck-It-Ralph, as he made a much larger dent in the couch than she did. She nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah!” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and  _ regrettably  _ scooted a little closer to him, “Jeez, you’re a lot better with names than I am. Sorry about that too--I hate to be such a Starbucks stereotype.”

He found himself relaxing a little bit, and he shrugged his shoulders, “It’s seriously not that big of a deal,” He offered her a slight grin, “I’m sorry for being such a douchebag earlier. I hope I didn’t, uh. Y’know, hurt your feelings or whatever.”

She lifted her eyebrows with another giggle, “Really, Kristoff?” She leaned back casually, and crossed her legs, “You’re gonna have to try a  _ lot _ harder than that to hurt my feelings. I’m not as fragile as I look.” 

_ Shit _ . Had he insulted her again? He waved his arms, “Fuck, no,” He stammered, and then paused, “I mean, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cuss again. But I don’t think you’re fragile or anything-”

“Is that why you feel like you can’t swear in front of me?” She crossed her arms. He began to panic, feeling his heartbeat getting faster. Was she kidding? Was she serious? He couldn’t tell, and he didn’t want to hurt her feelings more than he already had. “I hate to break it to ya, but I’m a big girl, I can handle it.” 

“Says the hundred-pound wonder,” He slipped. And gawked at himself. Why did he say that? “I mean, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to like, guess your weight, but you are fucking  _ tiny _ . How tall even are you, five feet? You’re like a little Smurfette or something-”

She frowned, and blinked at him a couple of times, “Okay,  _ now _ you’re getting closer to hurting my feelings.” His eyes widened.  _ Shit _ . Was she embarrassed about her height? He was kind of embarrassed about  _ his height  _ so why wouldn’t she be? He could feel himself stammering, his heart beating harder in his chest. 

“Wait, no, I just-” He shook his head, getting a little more frustrated, “I meant it as a compliment. Or something--maybe I was just pointing out the obvious? God  _ dammit _ , why did I let Sven talk me into this?”

“ _ Sven  _ talked you into apologizing?” Her little face was riddled with disgust as she stared at him. He could feel himself sinking further into the cushions. 

“ _ NO- _ ” He tried to explain, “Okay, well, maybe, yeah. But it’s just that um. I’m sorry, I don’t have a lot of girl friends. I’m not great at this.”

“Are you trying to ask me out?” She scooted further away from him, “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m really flattered, but you might want to work on your uh.” She gestured at him, “That whole thing.”

“I meant like, having friends who identify as the female gender, feistypants,” He glowered. She was clearly  _ impossible  _ to talk to. “And I  _ wasn’t _ going to hit on you. I mean, not that I don’t think you should be hit on, you’re gorgeous and charming I’m sure, but I wouldn’t be that fucking disrespectful to you, or any woman for  _ that matter. _ ”

She blinked at him a few times, shock clearly written on her face, “Oh.” She bit her lip for a minute, and brought her eyes up to meet his, before her smile began to widen, creating a bright glow across her entire face “Wait a hot minute,” She leaned in, “Kristoff, are you asking me to be your friend?” 

He wasn’t, but at this point, he felt like their conversation had completely spun out of control. He was drunk, and he knew she was too, and he was nervous to hurt her feelings again, so he squeaked out a little, “Yes?”

In a complete 180 degree turn of emotion, she clapped her hands exuberantly, “Yay! Oh my gosh, Olaf and Ryder and Sven and Honeymaren are going to be so excited!” She patted down her dress, “Oh  _ shit _ \--I gave ‘Mare my phone, should I give you my number or-”   


“What?” He was genuinely confused as she fluttered around him, “Wait, do you mean like-”

“So we can be friends, dummy,” She chided, giving him a little smack on the shoulder, “You said you wanted to be my friend, right? If you have my number, you can text me so we can all hang out again.” 

He honestly couldn’t argue, so he pulled out his phone and swiped it open for her to type her contact information into. She was a whirlwind of excitement and fire, and just as she had entered the party, she was gone, shouting little goodbyes to everyone as she left with her sister and Ryder’s sister. Kristoff wasn’t sure how long he spent just  _ staring  _ at her number on his phone. What was he supposed to do with it? He knew he shouldn’t text her that night, but what would he say when he finally did? He sighed hard through his nose and shoved his phone in his pocket. 

Soon enough, he was stumbling out of the Atohallan house himself, with Sven’s arm swung over his shoulder as they made their way back to their shared apartment. They laughed and talked the entire way home, but Kristoff couldn’t help but think about the feisty spitfire who had pretty much stolen his memories of the night.  _ Anna _ . He didn’t even know her last name, or what she was studying. 

By the time they reached their apartment, Sven had totally called him out on it, and had begun listing out multiple options for “potential hangouts” to pull her into their little friend group. Kristoff had tried to protest, but with one glance at the coffee cup with the wrong name written on it that he’d forgotten to throw away, all hesitation clammed up in his throat. Somehow, despite her annoying, bouncy charm, and her terrible barista skills, he’d realized he was more than okay with declaring her as a friend. He wanted to see her again. 

  
  


***

Elsa, while having enjoyed her night, knew that she had to play her cards delicately on the stroll back to her home, with two very drunk and sleepy sorority girls in tow. She and Honeymaren had shared a glance once Anna had spent at least two or three blocks rambling on about “the grumpy big guy” and how she  _ thought  _ he was trying to insult her, but her logic was just cloudy from the drinking, and he was secretly a “big sweetheart”. 

Eventually, Honeymaren finally decided to bring up the conversation Elsa had been dreading since their rendezvous on the porch an hour or two before. “Hey Anna,” She began delicately, “I’ve been thinking and uh, I think we should probably tell Elsa what’s going on, especially if she’s going to be hanging out with me more. I’m nervous that I’m going to let it slip.” She had her dark eyes locked on Elsa the entire time she spoke, ensuring her of her positive intentions.

She wasn’t sure how, in the span of a single night, she had decided to fully place her trust in Anna’s sing-songy, shy friend, but somewhere between the sincerity of her voice and the kindness of her eyes, Elsa knew she was the right person to help her take care of her sister. Anna, however, obviously wasn’t as certain. “What?” She slurred, a little confused before she gasped loudly in understanding, “No! No, ‘Mare, I can’t just. I mean,” She bit her lip and sighed. 

Elsa managed to place a reassuring hand onto her sister’s back, and rubbed her thumb against it as they walked, “Anna, what’s going on?” She attempted to feign confusion, despite knowing  _ exactly  _ what was going on, “It’s alright, you can tell me.”

Her sister somehow shrunk further into herself and looked at Honeymaren, who gave her a silent, convincing nod. “I guess,” She sounded smaller than she normally did, “Hans  _ might  _ be teaching one of my classes, and it’s a mandatory one that I can’t switch out of.” She admitted, looking up to Elsa, “So we have to keep our relationship a secret for right now, which was why I didn’t mention him at the party.” 

She nodded at her younger sister, hoping she would feel more comfortable to continue, “Wow, that must be really difficult for you two. Are you doing okay?”

“I mean, I guess.” She sputtered, “It’s just... _ hard _ , you know? To keep it a huge secret, and to not tell other people. It means he doesn’t really y’know, like it when I do stuff like,” She gestured wildly, “Well, like this.” 

_ That explained the poem.  _ She hadn't been honest with Hans about where she was going that night, and it was written all over her face. Elsa nodded her head in consideration. She decided to drop the subject for now, but as far as she could tell, Honeymaren hadn’t been exaggerating when she said Hans pressured Anna to stay away from people her age.  _ Boys  _ her age. It was clearly a manipulative thing to inflict on someone. It stung Elsa to think of her bubbly, friendly sister being stuck in some condo alone with him every weekend of her college years. Anna was a romantic, and she was convinced that whatever she felt for Hans was true love. 

“You know,” Honeymaren broke the comfortable silence, her voice soft and melodic, “I think Ryder was saying they’re going to do a movie night next week. Since you’re friends with Olaf and Kristoff, maybe you guys should come too?” 

“That’s an incredible idea,” Elsa agreed hastily, knowing full well that the more friends Anna had, and the more events she attended, the more quickly she’d see that it was age appropriate to hang out with other college students and do silly things. “I’ll be there for sure.”

Anna looked at her, a glint of surprise in her eyes, “Well, geez, if Captain Introvert’s gonna be there, I guess I don’t have a choice.” Elsa sighed with relief, and she could tell Honeymaren was feeling better too. It was going to take time, but Elsa knew that if anyone could help her break her sister from a toxic cycle, it would be someone like Honeymaren.

What she wasn’t expecting was the onslaught of frat boys who would fight alongside them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a suuuuper fun chapter to write!! lol! we <3 tipsy, confident elsa!
> 
> thank u again for all of your support!!! AnD I'M SORRY ABOUT THE FORMATTING i'm still tryna figure all this out lol!


	4. Hair Toss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahaha we get a LITTLE darker with this chapter!!! you've been warned <3 pls head back to the first chapter if u need a reminder of the hotlines!!
> 
> also aLL OF THE COMMENTS AND SUPPORT ARE MAKING MY LIFE SM BRIGHTER!! and definitely making my patience thinner, so here's another chapter literally like 2 days later lol!!

After the kickback, the days felt like they flew by, and the little apartment on Arendelle street was consistently filled with singing, giggles, and blaring music. Honeymaren had shown up with Anna almost every night, and Elsa would happily share their dinner with her as they curled up around the television to rewatch  _ Brooklyn 99 _ episodes. Anna and (mostly) Honeymaren had decided that Elsa was “Toooootally a Rosa!”, and would point at the Television and should “SEE?! Right there, that’s  _ totally you! _ ” before bursting into at least five more fits of giggles. 

Elsa was glad for the company--as it turned out, Honeymaren made for a very pleasant houseguest, and with her consistent presence, it seemed as though Anna had been spending less and less time with Hans. She only spent the night at his condo once in the past five days, and Elsa knew it had something to do with the new-found friendship between the three of them. Besides, it was  _ fun _ . Even when she was writing a paper, or studying for her econometrics exam, she felt like the entire apartment was a little brighter when Honeymaren was there. If she was being honest with herself, she was always a little sad when Anna drove Honeymaren back to the sorority house at the end of each night. 

It felt especially quiet on Fridays, when Elsa didn’t have class or work, but Anna was busy at her early morning class with  _ Hans _ , and her shift at the Trading Roast. Sometimes, she felt a little twinge of guilt when she remembered her secret scheming against her sister’s relationship. Then, she would remember the poem Hans had texted to Anna during the kickback, along with the graded poem Anna had left on the kitchen table. He’d given her a C, and a handful of harsh comments regarding her “alliterative style” and “commonplace wording”. Anna had sworn it was because he didn’t want to show nepotism. When Elsa mentioned it to Honeymaren, she disagreed vehemently, certain it was a manipulation tactic. 

Both Elsa and Honeymaren had read not only  _ that  _ poem (which was dedicated to Hans), but other bits of Anna’s writing that Hans had all but demolished. Anna had said that it was fine, that criticism was all “part of the gig!”, but there was a difference between constructive criticism and downright insulting someone’s work. He was downright harsh, telling her to scrap her poem entirely in red ink, to start over. She’d heard Anna sobbing softly that night, even though she denied it in the morning. 

She hated it when she knew Anna was in his class, having to hear him spout out pretentious, pseudo-intellectual horseshit. It only made her angrier, knowing he could have any control over Anna at all. Why did he need control over her grades? Couldn’t he just be content to manipulate almost every other aspect of her life? Elsa had to convince her to get away from him. So far, it was going according to plan. Honeymaren would casually talk about her ex-girlfriend, and how she possessed traits that were “similarly toxic” to Hans’, even without directly saying it. It made Elsa feel a certain way she wasn’t used to. Violent? Nurturing? A lot of different feelings wrapped into one that she couldn’t quite name.

Anna, luckily, hadn’t caught on that Honeymaren was comparing Yasmine to Hans. Elsa was simultaneously terrified and impressed by her manipulation technique. She considered both herself and Anna to be lucky to have someone so zealous and cunning on their side. 

Anna had been hesitant to accept Ryder’s invitation to the movie night, but Anna and Honeymaren promised her they wouldn’t tell Hans, and that she deserved to learn more about the friends she’d made the Thursday before. Honeymaren had even talked one of the other frat boys into sending Anna a text  _ personally _ , and she hadn’t been able to refuse. “Kristoff wants us to come too!” She’d beamed, proud to have won over the boy she’d had a difficult time with at the kickback originally. 

And so, Elsa found herself shivering in her lace panties and matching bralette, staring once more at three outfits on her bed. She couldn’t be too overdressed, but she didn’t want to be underdressed either. She placed her hands on her hips, she had to make the decision. She was getting way too cold, and she couldn’t just  _ freeze  _ to death in her bedroom. She had to make a choice. The first one seemed a little too slutty, with a low cut top and a denim skirt. But she supposed she could wear it, she was a lesbian at a male social event. 

Who would she even be trying to impress? 

Now  _ that _ was a stupid question. She knew  _ exactly  _ who she would be trying to impress. Not that she should have been trying to impress that  _ certain person _ . Honeymaren was cute and sweet for sure, but she was Anna’s friend--Anna’s  _ best  _ friend, who had been excitedly chatting with her sister about their “Totally rockin’ philanthropy extravaganza!” just the night before. She was far too  _ social  _ and  _ conventional  _ for Elsa’s tastes. Pure, unadulterated lust was simply not worthy of putting Anna’s feelings, or friendships, in jeopardy. 

And yet,  _ Jesus Christ _ if keeping her feelings in check wasn’t becoming the most difficult thing Elsa had ever had to do. She’d never felt such raw, sexual energy from herself before, and if she was being honest with herself, she hadn’t been sure she was even capable of it until now. She always assumed she was more of a cold-blooded woman, until she saw the way Honeymaren’s dark eyes would glint as she spoke, the way her soft fingers would nervously tap rapid-fire against any surface when she was thinking. They were strong too, from years of playing the piano, as Honeymaren had explained. Elsa could think of  _ so  _ many better uses to put them to; most disturbingly, intertwining them with her own, more delicate ones. 

It was really, _ really  _ stupid, but even if she knew she couldn’t do anything with Honeymaren, she still wanted to look cute in front of her. “Okay, Elsa,” She whispered to herself, bouncing from one foot to the other, intensely focusing on the three options on her bed, “You can  _ do  _ this. Conceal, don’t feel. She’ll never even know. You just have to choose  _ one  _ of these outfits, go to the event, and ignore her.”

Her eyes darted between them again. Low cut top and denim skirt, lacy bodysuit and mom jeans, or a simple halter-top dress. She looked them over again and again, and eventually sighed in defeat. Why was this so  _ hard _ ? She was getting a masters degree in  _ statistical economics. _ She could choose an outfit for an undergraduate hangout. Right? Who cares? She definitely needed some expert help. 

She strode over to the tank in the corner of her room, where Zuko was staring intently at her, his little tongue hanging out of his mouth. “Alright, Zuko,” She crouched down a little to look him in the eye, “This doesn’t really matter, right? I could just wear anything, and no one is even going to notice.” Zuko blinked at her once, before stamping in a tiny circle, and chasing after one of the crickets he hadn’t hunted yet. Elsa sighed. 

She clearly needed to let loose a little bit, which called for an impromptu solo dance party. She slid over to her phone, before swiping it open and scrolling through her song selection. If she was going to do this, she needed to do it right. And that meant choosing something that would make her feel empowered, strong and able to let all of her animosity and nerves out of her system. She grinned as she found the right one. It was definitely cheesy, and a little bit mainstream, but it would absolutely do the trick. 

_ I DO MY HAIR TOSS CHECK MY NAILS, BABY HOW YOU FEELIN? _

“I’m feeling good as hell!” Elsa called back to the song, before sliding out of her room and down the hallway, and doing a hitch-kick with terrible technique. She deserved this. She was an amazing student and a good sister, and she was absolutely and totally worthy of the love of any woman! She smiled brightly, and jumped up and down for a few times, singing along to the song as she waltzed around her living room, spinning and giggling by herself. 

She gripped against her couch and whipped her hair around a few times, finally feeling in control of herself again. She could  _ do  _ this. She was spontaneous and free, and she was going to save her sister, without wanting to makeout with her gorgeous best friend. She was going to be respectful, and confident because she  _ did  _ feel, “Good as h-”

The door to the apartment swung open. Elsa hadn’t heard the click of the lock. She whipped around, still fully and definitely in her underwear, her hair falling down her shoulders. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized it wasn’t  _ Anna.  _

Honeymaren looked like she was frozen in the doorway, her jaw literally looking like it was about to drop to the floor. Elsa hadn’t realized how long she’d been standing there, and she quickly covered herself loosely with her arms. Honeymaren blinked at her once, before coughing uncomfortably and looking away, “I’m so,” She sputtered out, “I’m sorry, I guess I just heard the music, and I knocked a few times but you didn’t hear-” She shook her head, “And I thought maybe you’d be here and Anna gave me a key-”

“No, no, no-” Elsa felt herself stammering, silently cursing Anna with every ounce of energy she possessed.  _ Why would she just give someone a key without telling Elsa? _ “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I would be expecting your um, your company until later tonight. Could you give me a moment?” She tried to maintain her composure, as she began to scurry off into her bedroom. 

“Or I could just  _ walk my fine ass out the door _ !” Honeymaren called after her, always the champion of wit and grace. Elsa felt like she was going to die right there, on her fluffy, silver carpeting.  _ Shit, shit, shit _ . It was time to make a real choice. She grabbed the halter dress, knowing it would probably be the quickest option. 

She slipped off her bralette, and pulled the dress up over her head. After glancing into her mirror and fingering her hair desperately to keep the static down, she paused the music on her phone. Elsa then tried to even out her breathing, and pressed down her dress in a desperate attempt to hide her embarrassment.  _ Conceal, don’t feel, conceal, don’t feel, conceal.  _ She strolled out into the hallway, keeping her head held high, and gracefully avoided any and all eye contact with her sister’s friend as she made her way into the living room. 

She knew Honeymaren was completely enjoying this, that smug little  _ witch _ . Elsa still couldn’t manage to bring her eyes to her, so she kept them focused out of the window. “Honeymaren,” The name sounded strangled in her voice, so she cleared it, “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“I mean, if I knew you listened to  _ Lizzo _ , you’d probably be owing me this pleasure a lot more often.” Elsa stiffened as Honeymaren backpedaled, “That. That didn’t come out right, I meant it as more of a witty sentiment. Funky wording, you know? Like a nice little  _ Gilmore Girls  _ banter or something.” Elsa could only nod. She walked over to the sofa and sat down, daintily crossing her feet at the ankles. 

“It’s okay, I have a difficult time with wording too, sometimes.” She admitted, before risking a glance at the other woman, “But you probably know that, right?”

“I mean,” Honeymaren chuckled uncomfortably, “They say you should always imagine your audience in their underwear, but now that I know exactly what that looks like, I’m starting to think that advice doesn’t really pan out. Logically, I mean.”

“Right,” Elsa responded stiffly, forcing her eyes away again and willing the heat away from her face. “Anyway. This is the first time you’ve arrived without Anna. I can only assume you have pertinent information?”

Honeymaren moved cautiously to sit on the other side of the sofa, crossing her legs in a way where her shorts snuck up her golden thighs and  _ almost _ made Elsa lose what little ability to concentrate she had left. “You know, when you talk like that, I feel like I’m a Bond girl or something, and you’re the bad guy.” She lifted her eyebrows, “But  _ yes,  _ I believe I’ve received some ‘pertinent information’. Or at least something I thought we should chat about.”

For a split second, Elsa thought she caught Honeymaren’s eyes wandering back over her, but she thought better of it, and focused on the much more important subject at hand. “What’s going on?”

“I guess Hans is throwing a party pretty soon. He somehow got my contact info to invite me to it,” She shifted, a little uncomfortably on the sofa, “I guess it’s supposed to be some sort of surprise for Anna, so she doesn’t know about it yet. I’m supposed to tell her I’m taking her to a frat party, and then have the Lyft take her to him instead.” 

Elsa inhaled a deep breath, and let it shudder out of her. She had a million questions that led to fears that made her hands feel a little numb. But she knew she had to address them one at a time, so she wouldn’t overwhelm the slightly younger (and definitely more immature) woman, “Why do you think he opted to contact you instead of me?”

“That’s,” Honeymaren stretched the word out, her brows knit together as she contemplated the situation, “Kinda what I’m worried about. I think he kinda assumes that I’m,” She chewed her lip a little, her eyes falling down with an overwhelming sense of sadness, “Y’know, just a stupid sorority girl. Not the brilliant older sister getting her Masters’ in statistical economics. He probably wants to use me for something. I’m just not sure what.” 

Elsa nodded her head, and resisted placing a reassuring hand against Honeymaren’s arm. Even though the girl was two years younger than her, she had come to discover that she wasn’t as dull-minded as she’d first seemed the night she drove her home the first time. Obviously, Honeymaren was intelligent, and her friendship had meant more to Anna than any relationship outside of Hans and Elsa, herself. However, even though it was ridiculously insulting, Elsa knew they had to use it for their advantage. She just needed solid proof that Hans was doing something terrible enough that she could convince Anna to set her sights elsewhere.

She still needed to be delicate, though. The last thing she would want to do was hurt Honeymaren’s feelings. “He’s a wealthy, privileged, arrogant person, Honeymaren. I’m sure he underestimates so many people,” She tried to make her voice seem less cold as Honeymaren’s tenderhearted, beautiful eyes met her own, “But we can use that to our advantage. I’m sure he doesn’t know that you and I are in contact to the extent that we are, and I’m sure Anna doesn’t either. We just need to keep it that way.” 

Honeymaren closed her eyes, and let out a long sigh, “I know. And I’m sure if I play dumb enough, I can figure out what’s going on and get back to you.” She lifted her eyes up to meet Elsa’s again, “It’s still in like, two or three weeks though. I’ll see if I can find out any other information in the meantime, and keep subtly reminding Anna what a toxic relationship looks like, so she can start really subconsciously looking for signs with him.” 

It was an efficient strategy and Elsa knew it, but she also had a sneaking suspicion that it was getting more difficult for Honeymaren to keep such a hefty secret from her best friend. She knew that the girl was clearly stronger than she’d first appeared, but she needed to ensure her discretion. She wanted to mention it, but what left her was far different from what she wanted to say, “I’m sorry you were in such a difficult relationship. Are you sure you’re okay talking about it to the extent that you have been?”

Honeymaren seemed to be equally shocked by the sentiment, her eyes widening, and her full, gloss-covered lips slightly parting. “Elsa, I-” She started, before blinking and looking downwards at her hands that were twisting together in her lap. “I’m really okay. I promise. But um,” The look she gave Elsa at that point was so full of something--Elsa couldn’t tell what--so powerful, that she had to turn her eyes away, “Thank you. For caring, I mean.”

She couldn’t bring herself to look back at her again, and she wasn’t sure why. There was something about Honeymaren that made her feel simultaneously weak, and the strongest she’d ever been. “It’s difficult not to.” She could hear Honeymaren’s breath catch, and she realized that she’d maybe gone too far. “Have you met my gecko?” The words poured out of her before she could even realize what she was asking. 

Honeymaren’s eyes lit up, a dark, deep chocolate that Elsa found herself constantly craving, “You have a gecko? How come Anna never mentioned that?”

Elsa shrugged, and offered her a kind smile, “She doesn’t like how close I am with him. It makes her a little jealous,” She jested, and felt her confidence immediately boost when Honeymaren giggled, “His name is Zuko. Would you like to meet him?” 

Honeymaren nodded enthusiastically, before jumping onto her feet, “I love  _ Avatar the Last Airbender _ , I think I must’ve been Katara for like seven different Halloweens. And Ryder was always Sokka,” She smiled at the memory, and Elsa felt her heart almost skip a beat in her chest. This was the first time Honeymaren had mentioned her childhood in front of her, and there was a weird voice calling out to her, pressuring her to find out more and more about her. To learn everything about her--the way she took her tea, her favorite movies, when her birthday was. “You’re a total Azula, though. All badass and weirdly...royal? Is that an adjective I can use to describe you?” 

Elsa grinned, amused by a character quirk she’d just noticed, “You do that a lot.” She pointed out casually, standing up to guide Honeymaren towards her bedroom. 

“What?” Honeymaren asked, traipsing adorably behind her. “What do I do?”

“Assign characters to people. You have a knack for it.” She wanted to know what it meant to be like Rosa or Azula, but she didn’t want to press. She was dying to get to know more about this strange, quirky, beautiful woman. And she was dying to show herself, her true self, to her as well. Suddenly, she didn’t feel as embarrassed about dancing around in her underwear in front of Honeymaren. She was starting to feel more comfortable around her. 

It was terrifying, but she was starting to forget to conceal the parts of herself she’d never shown anyone except for Anna. 

  
  


***

The classroom was completely empty by the time Anna finally finished packing her laptop into her bag. It was difficult to make it seem natural, to make herself seem like she was just slower than the rest of the students, like she was taking her time. She had sighed with relief when the last student left, after having chatted with Hans about Ralph Waldo Emerson for what seemed like at least twenty minutes. She was glad to have a minute alone with him--he’d been so busy recently, now that his family was spending a few weeks in town. He wanted her to meet them. She knew that after having dated him for a year, it was probably time that she met them. For some reason, she’d continually pretended to be busy, hanging out at her apartment with Honeymaren and Elsa instead.

“Anna,” Her name sounded a little forced as she spun around to face him. He was looking especially disheveled that day, unlike the clean, polished man she had grown to adore. She didn’t mind, though. He looked cute when he was tired; a little more human. “What did you think of the lecture today? You were surprisingly quiet.” 

She hadn’t realized that she had been, but her mind was wandering the entire time. It was an especially dull class that day, but she would never want him to feel that way. She knew he worked hard on his lectures, and the last thing she would want to do was hurt his feelings, “I just thought we could talk about it later,” She lied between her teeth, not wanting to admit she’d spent most of the class distracted by a group chat with Ryder, Olaf and Honeymaren planning their little event for the evening. As far as she could tell, Hans was none-the-wiser about her newfound friendships, and she wanted to keep it that way. “I wanted to give other students the opportunity to talk to you. But I thought the lecture was great!” 

He glowered at her, his eyes filled with something dark and menacing she’d only really ever seen in his bedroom. “You’re so unattractive when you lie. I saw you texting the entire time. You laughed when we were talking about the concept of death, at something on your computer. It’s humiliating for you to pretend otherwise.” 

She suddenly felt like the room was growing up around her, like she was Alice in Wonderland, and she’d eaten something to make her shrink. She wanted to say something, anything, to make him feel better about it, to ensure she was in the clear. She was an idiot, and a rotten girlfriend for not paying attention. What was she  _ thinking _ ? She opened her mouth to apologize, but he was soon cutting her off again. “I think it would be beneficial for both of us if you dropped this course. Your understanding of poetry is limited at best, and it hurts me too much to grade you in the way you deserve.” She knew that, but she hated it when he said that. She knew he was just trying to be supportive and honest with her, but she also needed to pass the course in order to finish up her degree within the next two years. 

“I know. I know that Hans-” She protested, and looked up into his eyes, knowing she probably seemed ridiculous and pathetic to him.

He narrowed his eyes, and interrupted her again. “It’s Mr. Westergaard in here,” He snapped at her, his voice rising in volume, “In here, you are my pupil and I am your teacher. If I’m ever going to become a teacher, I need you to treat me with respect as if you were a normal student.” She nodded her head in understanding, and opened her mouth to apologize to him again. 

She didn’t want him to feel like she was being disrespectful, and she wanted to make sure that his class went just as smoothly. It wasn’t a perfect scenario, with him being both her teacher and her boyfriend, but it was something they would just have to work around. Couples had problems like that all the time, right? She just needed to try a little harder. She wanted to tell him all these things, but he began talking again. Anna couldn’t get a word in edgewise. “In here, and outside of here, you must do as I say. Unfortunately, you haven’t been able to meet the level of trust I’ve asked you for, despite having pathetically begged you time and time again.” He glowered, “As far as I can tell, there is little you can do at this point to earn my trust or respect again. Especially as your teacher, but also as your boyfriend.”

“No-” Anna pleaded, feeling the word strangle out of her. She felt like the room was suddenly cold, and unreachable, and she wanted to pull him into her arms and beg for his forgiveness. “Please Ha-” She stopped herself, and remembered to correct it, “Mr. Westergaard, please tell me what I can do to fix this. I’m really, really sorry.” She could feel tears begin to well up in her eyes, threatening to pour out of her. She did her best to hold them back, knowing he hated it when she cried. She didn’t want to upset him further. 

“Do you really think I believe that you’ve been spending every night with your sister and your little sorority friend? I know you’ve been talking to those fucking despicable  _ frat boys.  _ I saw a text on your phone while you were sleeping on Tuesday.” His eyes were filled with disgust when she finally managed to look back up into them, and as he raised his hand sharply, she flinched in response, waiting for the familiar sting of his hand smacking against her skin. Instead, he placed it onto her shoulder gently. 

“Your words are clearly full of deceit,” He chided, “But perhaps you could prove your trustworthiness in a different way.” She looked up at him, completely hopeful. Of course he wasn’t going to hurt her. He loved her. “I tire of condoms.” He said plainly, and she felt like her blood drained out of her again.  _ What?  _ She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Hans would never. She would  _ never _ . “If you really loved me, Anna, you would let me fuck you without one.” 

“But-” The word stuttered out of her, and she could feel herself blinking at him stupidly. She knew she looked stupid and pathetic, “But I’m only twenty I can’t risk that, and birth control makes me gain weight and it makes me really sad-” She searched his eyes, only to see absolutely nothing. No emotion, no kindness. Just an empty, angry stare.  _ Please. _

“Allow me to repeat myself more slowly, so you can understand.” He threatened, taking a step closer to her and grabbing her chin with a harsh, bruising hand, “If you really loved me and cared about me, you would prove that you are worthy of my trust by letting me fuck you without `a condom. If I really am the love of your life, you will be able to do this one, simple thing for me. I want you to be completely and totally mine.” 

The breath felt like it was completely knocked out from her lungs. She couldn’t understand what that protection had to do with anything. She wasn’t sure how long she wasn’t talking, as her mind continued to race from one scenario to the other. Plenty of couples didn’t use protection, but she really didn’t want to get pregnant. She couldn’t handle that responsibility, she couldn’t take on that sort of risk. 

“You look like an idiot.” Hans pointed out frankly, finally letting go of her face, before striding to the other side of the classroom to pick up his own belongings. “I’ll give you three days to think about it. Unless you have made a decision, don’t bother contacting me. I’m sick of your whorish lies. Prove to me that you’re worthy of my trust, or don’t fucking let yourself think you’re worthy of my love.” 

She wasn’t sure when he left the room. Or when she had started crying. The tears spilled out of her eyes, and over her cheeks, and she barely felt grounded to her desk. Was that okay for him to ask? She wasn’t sure. She had been okay with everything else he wanted to do to her in bed. And she guessed it would hurt her less than the hitting, or the whip, choking or the biting. She gripped the desk a little harder, and the world around her seemed to slip away. 

Anna knew she should tell Elsa, or maybe even Honeymaren. She also knew that they would hate Hans if she did, and she couldn’t afford that. They were supposed to be together forever, and he was just nervous since he’d been cheated on before, that was all. 

That was all.

_ That was all.  _

***

“Why didn’t Anna ever tell me that you had the most adorable gecko on the planet?” Honeymaren couldn’t stop herself from asking, grinning from ear to ear as she watched the tiny cutie-pie hop back and forth on Elsa’s shoulders, who just smiled shyly as a response.

“Honestly,” Her voice was quiet and raspy, as to not scare the poor little thing, “I have  _ no  _ idea. Zuko’s my pride and joy. I know it sounds crazy, but I feel like we’re kinda like kindred spirits?” She let out a blithe, perfect little laugh before scooping him back up off her shoulder, and rubbed a gentle circle on his head. Her eyes snapped up to meet Honeymaren’s, “Did that make me sound crazy?”

Her knees suddenly felt weak from the gentle display in front of her, she could only shake her head and hope her voice didn’t give her away, “ _ No _ . I think it’s really cute- I mean,  _ cool _ ,” She stumbled, “Just really cool that you were able to find each other.” 

Okay, so maybe Honeymaren was having a really difficult time keeping her feelings in check. But what was she supposed to do? She made a promise to herself and to Elsa to be in constant contact so they could help  _ Anna _ . This wasn’t about her, or her feelings, and she needed to keep them at bay. But how did anyone look like  _ that  _ in real life? 

Who knew that Elsa, the queen of subtle grace and intense intimidation, would also dance around in her apartment in her underwear? It was so seductive and disturbingly satisfying to see her let loose like that, dancing wildly around her apartment. Let alone the way her body looked, all pale skin and thin, barely noticeable curves. It took all of Honeymaren’s control not to just grab her and push her up against the wall, and just see how easily the lace of her bralette could rip and tear, giving way to the delectable flesh underneath-Which was totally gross and a little voyeur-y to think about, even if she knew the image would haunt her dreams for months to come. 

The much more disturbing thought was how much she wanted to rip her own clothes off and join her, spinning Elsa around in circles as they sang along. She wanted to fall against the sofa with her afterwards, panting and exhausted, before leaving little kisses around her face and nose. So  _ maybe _ this wasn’t just physical attraction. This thought just became clearer as the afternoon wore on, as she watched Elsa adoringly introduce her gecko, a sudden softness Honeymaren wasn’t aware of was relevant in every mannerism. She relished the way Elsa’s hand brushed against hers as she let the tiny reptile climb into her hands. She felt herself melting when Elsa’s eyes met her own, a little smile quirked on her lips as she enjoyed the moment.

Honeymaren was starting to be unable to ignore the heat she felt whenever Elsa was around her, the electricity that forced her nearer to her, both emotionally and physically. There was something about her that made Honeymaren want to spill all of her secrets, and put every emotion on display. With even just a look, or a light brush of a hand, Elsa made her want to cry and laugh and sing all at the same time. It was definitely troubling, but a larger part of Honeymaren simply didn’t care.

She knew she had overstepped by coming over on her own, especially with using Anna’s key, but there was something thrilling about knowing that they would be arriving at the movie night as the two of them, since Anna had planned to go over with Olaf. It  _ wasn’t  _ a date, obviously, and Honeymaren had to keep reminding herself of that, especially once she was buckling into Elsa’s car, and gingerly handed over the Aux cord to choose a song. It probably wasn’t more than Elsa’s propriety that allowed her to offer it, but Honeymaren felt like she was handed an olive branch of trust and friendship. It felt intimate. Which meant she couldn’t choose something stupid. 

There was a part of her that deviously wanted to put on  _ Lizzo _ , but she was worried that the memory of the gorgeous, snowangel that Elsa was, grinding down in her apartment would simply soak Honeymaren through her shorts, completely giving her away. And if someone were to notice and point it out, she would just combust into flames on the spot. So, she decided to put on some  _ Rolling Stones  _ instead, because everyone likes them, right? Elsa didn’t react outside of a soft little glance, so Honeymaren took it as a sign of indifference, and they mostly rode in a comfortable silence as they made the short drive over to the Atohallan satellite house. 

  
  


***

The fridge glared mockingly at Kristoff as he tried to decide on what to drink. He definitely wanted to be sober, especially after Ryder had insisted he invite Anna  _ personally,  _ and while he didn’t entirely care about what she thought of him, he knew he didn’t want to make an ass out of himself after the way he acted at the kickback. He’d woken up the morning after with the worst feeling he’d ever had. He’d never really talked to girls at a party without ending up in their bed the morning after (and that had only been twice throughout his short span of adulthood), and he was kicking himself for not being nicer to her while she was there. Most of the time, strangers at parties hardly gave him a second glance, but Anna had even tried to remember his name, and give him her full attention. And he had been  _ such a dick to her.  _

He was also annoyed that he’d had to avoid getting coffee at the Trading Roast for the week, and it put even more pressure on his nerves once Sven had started to notice. He didn’t want to admit to acting like a complete idiot at the party, or that secretly he wanted to make a good impression with the barista in a more dignified environment than forcing her to talk to him at her  _ job _ . He wasn’t that type of guy. He would never disrespect any person like that, even if he did low key want to see her again. He just didn’t want to put any pressure on her into answering, and she would have to if he approached her at work.

When Honeymaren had asked him to invite Anna to the movie night, he declined, still feeling ultimately embarrassed by his actions before. But when the president of his fraternity pressured him to, he couldn’t easily object. He didn’t respond after she said she would be more than happy to show up outside of a little “thumbs up” emoji. He had talked himself into thinking that he wasn’t simply  _ ecstatic  _ to see her again, but he still remembered to put on both deodorant and cologne before he and Sven left their apartment. He wasn’t  _ that  _ worried about making a good impression. She’d made it very clear at the kickback that she was only interested in a friendship with him, but for whatever reason, he decided to stay sober for the movie night, grabbing a Diet Coke out of the fridge, and turning around, just to find his best friend cocking a single eyebrow at him from the doorway. 

“Is that a healthier, non-alcoholic option I see in your hand?” He grinned, folding his arms over his chest, “Damn, are you trying to cut off the calories  _ and  _ stay sober for someone? And here I thought the gallant efforts ended with those tight jeans and that fancy cologne.” 

Kristoff couldn’t help but groan. Any hope that Sven would treat this situation with maturity and dignity for the night had flown out the window, “It’s not a big deal, man, I just want to be able to pay attention to the movie.”

“You sure about that?” He couldn’t help but groan again as Olaf piped up, sauntering into the kitchen next to Sven. “Because with the dimmed lights, the romantic music, Anna all pressed up against the couch with the light of the TV bouncing off of her sparkly blue eyes,” He dramatically posed, “I doubt you’re gonna pay attention to the movie.” 

Kristoff frowned, “Dude, first of all, I just want to be her friend. And her sister’s friend, and I don’t want to act like an idiot in front of them. Second of all,” He glowered at Sven, “We’re watching  _ Reservoir Dogs  _ and I’m fairly certain that there will be nothing romantic about it. Unless you guys have some seriously fucked up taste in romance movies.” 

Olaf and Sven shared a look, and Olaf burst into giggles. Kristoff felt his heart quicken,  _ What were they up to?  _ “What?” His eyes widened, “Oh my god, what did you guys do?”

“Oh, did Sven forget to tell you?” Olaf did his best act of innocence, “We kinda decided on a different movie.”

Kristfoff inhaled deeply, and put his hands on his face, dreading to ask, “To what? Why?” 

He could hear Sven unmistakably laugh at him, obviously relishing every moment of Kristoff’s inner meltdown. “It wasn’t on Netflix anymore, so we’ve decided on  _ The Princess Bride _ .” 

Kristoff peaked between his fingers, before scoffing and dropping his hands to his sides, “That’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be.” He sighed, relief echoing in his stance as he relaxed, “That movie is a classic. I’m way cool with that.”

Sven and Olaf exchanged another obnoxious glance, making Kristoff  _ fume. _ “Okay, Kris,” Sven shrugged nonchalantly, “Whatever you say, but I bet good money that if she asks you for a beer you’ll be all like ‘As you wish, Anna, my love, my light’-”

“Okay dude, you need to chill out.” Kristoff warned, popping open his soda with a look of disdain, “I seriously do not like her, okay? I don’t even  _ know  _ her and you can’t just fall  _ in love _ with someone you just met. Plus, I don’t date. And you know that.”

Olaf frowned, “Kristoff, you’re a junior in college and you’ve never even brought a date to a  _ formal _ . Plus, Anna is the coolest coworker, and person ever. You’d be lucky if she even accepted a friend request from you.” 

Kristoff grimaced as he took a sip of his soda, that one stung a  _ little bit _ . She hadn’t responded to his Instagram follow request yet. Not that Sven or Olaf would know that. But he did, and it kind of hurt. But he didn’t even know her, and it was ridiculous to assume that she would just fall into his arms like some sort of damsel. Even from his very limited knowledge of her, Kristoff knew she wasn’t that type of person. He would have to earn her friendship and her trust, not demand it like some sort of asshole. “You’re right. She’s a cool person,” He glanced between his friends, “Which is  _ exactly  _ why I’m going to be sober and chill to her tonight. I want her to hang out with us more, and I think we should all get to know her better. But in order to do that, she needs to feel comfortable around us. And her sister, Elsa too.” 

That shut his friends up--they couldn’t disagree, since they also  _ weren’t  _ assholes. He knew they were just giving him shit, but he would be  _ damned  _ if they did anything to make it so Elsa and Anna wouldn’t want to come over again. They had to be respectful, because it was possible that the girls wouldn’t know that they were kidding and he didn’t want to scare them away. He only had one shot to get this right, especially after the way he acted at the kickback. He knew he wanted to get to know Anna, to be her friend like she had acted. And he knew that he would be able to do it, he just had to focus on getting it right. 

That being said, he practically froze in his seat when he heard Ryder and Anna’s unmistakable voices from outside of the house. He really wished he’d gotten a beer instead to ease his nerves.

_ Here we go.  _


	5. As You Wish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so shit's gonna start getting REAL dark in this chapter!! stay WITH ME, it'll be worth it I think!! 
> 
> And I'll also throw in some cuter chapters coming up!! (just bc I need it too lol). this one was v hard to write.

Sometimes, Anna felt like she would make an incredible actress had she not been so committed to her writing. There were moments where she felt like she was disattached to her body, watching herself from somewhere else, somewhere where she could hurt as much as she wanted to. The girl pretending to be Anna, during the times where the  _ real  _ Anna was too hard to find, could play the role perfectly. She would smile perfectly and laugh loudly, chattering on as if she wasn’t terrified of who she truly was, of what exactly lay beneath her flouncy, colorful sundresses. Anna was excellent at pretending to be fine, ever since Elsa started locking the door to her room. Anna’s acting became even more perfected, displaying award-deserving performances after her parents died. And now, the mask fit her perfectly, to the point where she couldn’t even tell when she was upset and when she wasn’t.

Ever since her interaction with Hans in class and Actress Anna stepped in and resumed her starring role, Anna’s day went by without her missing a beat. She cleaned up her face after she sobbed in the classroom, and redid her hair in the bathroom. She didn’t screw up a single order at the Trading Roast, she chatted with Olaf about a Podcast series he wanted her to check out, and when she went into the bathroom, she would fix every little part of her makeup and her hair that was out of place, unable to allow herself to see her own eyes. That was the biggest trick to remain detached--if she saw her eyes, she would know what really happened. She would think terrible, awful things about the one man who had shown her consistent infatuation and attention since she first met him.

_ But that doesn’t mean he loves you.  _

That was the type of thought her eyes would fail to conceal to her. It made her wonder with every breath if the way Hans treated her was what love looked like. That’s what his little poem had been about. Love was an open door, and she had stepped through his. That meant that she would have to make sacrifices for him in order to earn him, just like how he made so many sacrifices for her. He wouldn’t be able to get married as a young man, or have a child until he was much older. He would have to wait until she was ready. That sacrifice was enormous, right? 

She tried not to think about the sacrifice he had asked her to make as she went through her day. Anna knew that she had to make it through the movie night at  _ least  _ without thinking about it. She hardly knew any of the boys, and she desperately wanted them to like her. If she was sniveling and moody, they wouldn’t be able to get to know the more likable side of Anna. The silly, happy, charming part of her that Hans enjoyed. They wouldn’t want “Burden Anna”, full of fear and sadness. 

She had made the decision to go over one more night, and it would have to be  _ just  _ that. One more night, and then everything would go back to normal. And if she spent the whole night worrying about her silly boyfriend problems (they were silly, right? She was just being a prude, right?), she would ruin the night for everyone else, who didn’t deserve to have their night ruined, unlike her.

Anna knew she was pathetic, and the least she could do was not create some public display of drama to hurt everyone else. Ryder had even offered to give her a ride over there, and so she would happily accept the invitation, have a lovely time at the movie night, and then part ways with them as a cheery acquaintance. Go back to the person who really loved her, who never questioned putting her first or feel like a burden.

She was sure Elsa, Honeymaren and Olaf would understand. 

She touched up her makeup one last time, a little finish of lip gloss, hoping that her eyes weren’t too puffy or red. Anna solemnly looked at her phone, distraught when Hans’ message still hadn’t arrived. She was starting to worry that he had truly meant what he had said--that he wouldn’t respond to her until she had made a decision. Her heart beat quickly with a little more hope as her phone finally buzzed, but she let out a single sigh as she realized it was Ryder. It was time for Actress Anna to take the scene.

The car ride in Ryder’s bumpy Jeep went seamlessly with the help of her emotional mask. She plastered a smile onto her face, and placed a pair of sunglasses over her eyes so Ryder couldn’t tell how she actually felt. She laughed at every single one of his corny jokes, and by the time they reached the Atohallan house, she could feel the effects of her forced serotonin. It only ever took a few moments, but once Anna started pretending she was happy and carefree, she started believing it too. As she made her way up the steps to the front porch of the little house, she felt lighter and more confident than she had in hours. 

Ryder fiddled with his keys as he hopped up the steps behind her, trying to find the match to the door of his own house, “Okay, so I think it’s just the boys so far. You remember Sven and Kristoff, right? And Olaf is in there too-” He found the right one with a little cheer and stepped in front of the door to unlock it, “But Elsa and ‘Maren are still on their way.”

Anna lifted a practiced eyebrow, “Oh,  _ are  _ they?” She grinned at him, hoping he would catch on to her insinuation. Honeymaren had been at her apartment practically every night in the past week, and while Anna adored having her company, she was pretty sure she wasn’t the reason for her friend’s constant presence.

Ryder’s eyes glinted back at her, “She hasn’t mentioned anything to you yet, right?” He mirrored her grin, mischief echoing in his voice, “I would kill her if she told you before me.”

She shrugged, happy that she wasn’t the only person noticing the electricity between their siblings, “Nope, I’m pretty sure  _ she  _ doesn’t even know it yet. They’re both pretty ornery, so I would get comfortable. It’s gonna take them a  _ looooong  _ time to figure it out.” 

The frat president only laughed in agreement, shaking his head as he pulled the door open. “If it takes them longer than three months, I vote we step in and help ‘em out. I can only stand Honeymaren’s wistful pining for a few weeks at  _ best _ .” It was Anna’s turn to laugh. Honeymaren was definitely a pill, especially when it came to romantic endeavours. Anna couldn’t even count the amount of tissues she’d passed over to her friend, or the hours spent watching romcoms on Netflix. She definitely wasn’t going to hold her breath, though, because she knew her sister would take a lot longer. As far as Anna was aware, her sister had rarely had any flings, let alone serious relationships, in her lifetime. While Anna was  _ sure  _ that she and Honeymaren would be cute and happy together, she also knew that Elsa wouldn’t enter any relationship without the utmost caution. 

She was  _ damn  _ excited to watch the chase, though. Anna always adored a good love story, and she’d always wanted one for her sister. She wanted Elsa to feel that thrill of first love--the little moments, like a first kiss, or a random snuggle. The quicker pace of a heartbeat when you lock eyes with that special someone. She really missed that feeling too. She knew that if she could just gain Hans’ trust again, she would feel that way. She just needed to start being honest with him, to be a better girlfriend.

For a moment, she almost lost the effectiveness of her mask. Before she could really even take a breath, however, Ryder was pushing open the door to the house and the familiar scent of beer and sweat surrounded them. He sauntered in and waved at whoever was inside (Anna couldn’t see over his shoulder--there were times when being five feet tall worked out in her favor, this wasn’t one of those times), and hollered, “Guys! I’m so pumped to get my  _ Princess Bride  _ on!”

A few hearty “Hey dude!”s came shouting out of the room, and Anna’s smile was firmly painted on her face by the time she made her way inside. “Hey boys!” She greeted, sliding off her backpack and leaning it against the wall nearest to the door. 

“Hey would you look at that! It’s Anna, who we definitely  _ weren’t _ just talking about!” Olaf exclaimed and rushed over to give her a quick squeeze, which she robotically reciprocated, “All good things, I promise.” It came out as a stage whisper that made her stomach churn.  _ What was that supposed to mean?  _ Her heart started pounding, and she suddenly wanted to run. The more logical side of her brain reminded her that she was probably fine, that he was just joking, and that he wasn’t mad at her.

_ He has no reason to be angry with you. Just keep smiling.  _

“Well shucks,” She giggled, hoping it wouldn’t sound forced, “You guys just make me feel like the belle of the ball!” She looked around the room, and gave a little wave when she spotted the shaggy-haired film student, and his much taller, broader blond cohort sitting on a raggedy, comfy old couch she’d rested on at the kickback. “Hi you two, how are things?”

Sven shrugged, offering her a casual grin, “Y’know same old, same old. I’m just excited to have some new people over here. These guys can be such drags after a while.”

Kristoff looked stiff and uncomfortable, almost as much as she felt, but he rolled his eyes anyway, “He’s just excited to brag about all of his film knowledge to people who haven’t already heard it.” He teased, but still avoided making eye contact with her. His joke landed him a firm slug on the arm from his friend. He didn’t even flinch. For a fleeting moment, Anna wondered what it felt like to be so physically strong that you wouldn’t cower from a hand coming toward you. She pictured Hans, a foot shorter than Kristoff, with noticeably less muscle, trying to land a hand on someone like him.  _ His bicep would probably break Hans’ fingers.  _

“Well, I’m happy you invited me anyway,” She relaxed as his eyes finally met hers. They were sincere and calming, and a lovely honey-brown color. They immediately gave him away, that giant sweetheart who would do anything for his friends. That made her want to be one of them. 

She almost felt a sense of loss when he immediately pulled his eyes away from her, and his voice was suddenly drenched with sarcasm, “Well, sorry if you-” He hissed when Sven landed another punch. He sighed harshly, and looked at her again, a dopey, genuine little expression on his face, “We’re happy that you came.”

Anna was well aware that her body visibly relaxed into a more comfortable position. She was in a room filled with people who wanted her to be there, even if they weren’t obvious with expressing it. She was okay there. She held his gaze a little longer, wishing she could express how much this offer of friendship and fun meant to her. How much she needed a distraction. It was only for a few seconds at most, before Kristoff stood up and brushed off his jeans that were much nicer than what he had worn at the kickback. Her eyes followed him all the way up to his massive height, “Since these guys clearly have no sense of chivalry,” He passed a playful glare to Ryder, “Can  _ I  _ get you something to drink?”

“What, do you think I can’t get a drink on my own or something?” She folded her arms, a playful grin tugging at her face. His large eyes widened, and she saw that silly panic again on his face.  _ He really was too easy _ . She was going to have a ton of fun with him. “Kristoff, I’m kidding. A White Claw would be great.”

He gave her a thumbs up, his face somewhat ruddy with embarrassment, “You got it.” He murmured as he stalked out of the living room. 

Sven could only snicker from the couch before patting down the cushion next to him, “Hey, c’mere Red, take a seat,” He offered welcomingly, “Your sister and bestie should be here any minute, you might as well get comfortable.”

She was really starting to as she made her way to the warmth and friendship waiting for her, when she finally felt her phone buzz from her back pocket. 

***

Once they arrived, Honeymaren was ecstatic to see how comfortably everyone was fitting in together. She’d always wanted to bring Anna to her brother’s tight-knit little friend group so she could integrate some more of her sorority friends into it. She was always aware that if Anna could just squeeze away from that  _ bastard _ for a few nights, she’d realize how much fun it was to hang out with a group of college students. That it would be exciting just to sit down and watch a movie, and talk about stupid things. She was also happy that Elsa seemed to be enjoying herself too, particularly taking a surprising liking to Ryder, who had made them a comfy little spot on the floor in front of Anna’s feet. 

At first, Honeymaren had wanted to protest--she didn’t need to sit  _ that  _ close to Elsa and be that intimate with the gentle scent of her perfume or the warmth of her shoulder where they would lightly touch. Elsa had seemed fine with the seating arrangement, though, and promptly sat in front of her sister’s feet, giving them a mean little tickle that caused Anna to practically shriek, before turning her focus back to Honeymaren as she hopped over to plop down next to her. 

“Oh,  _ shit _ , she’s ticklish too?” Sven jostled in his seat, “Elsa, you have no idea how much power you’ve just granted me.”

“No, I’m not!” Anna protested, jerking away from him, “Omigod,  _ Sven _ don’t you dare! I can’t kick my sister’s head-” But then she burst into a fit of giggles again, while Sven wiggled his fingers threateningly, and she scooted all the way onto the other side of the couch, knocking into Kristoff whose hands shot up over his head to avoid any unnecessary contact with her. 

_ That  _ made Honeymaren snort. Kristoff had always been one of her favorites out of her brother’s friends--he was a sturdy, brooding and secretly very shy person. He was also very funny, and lovable, and one of the worst dancers Honeymaren had ever seen. If she was being honest with herself, he was the last person she expected Anna to take an immediate liking to. At the same time, she knew her best friend very well, and was more than aware that Anna never backed down from a challenge. And Kristoff was easily the biggest challenge in the room. 

“Hey, uh, Anna?” His voice sounded a lot higher than it should, for a man of his stature, “Could you um. You’re just. It’s just.” He cleared his throat, “Personal space? Maybe you’re not familiar with it-”

Anna leaped back into the middle cushion with a little “Whoops! Sorry!”, and made another snide little comment to her new friend Honeymaren couldn’t hear, while Ryder came back into the room with two glasses of white wine that he offered out to Elsa and Honeymaren.

“It’s just from one of those cheap boxes, but it’s easily the nicest cheap box we have,” Ryder smiled between the two of them as Honeymaren reached up to grab them both.

“Hey, thanks, little brother,” She winked at him, watching as he rolled his eyes and handed a glass to Elsa, before he could protest that she was only  _ five minutes older than him.  _ “Our finest wine, milady.” 

Elsa’s nimble fingers wrapped around the neck of the glass, and she knocked it upwards in a little cheer, “I feel like I should curtsy to you or something,” She turned her intoxicating focus to Honeymaren’s brother, “I feel very honored, though. Thank you, Ryder.” 

“Ain’t no thang,” Ryder looked between them again, and  _ wait, shit.  _ He was totally onto her wasn’t he? She felt her breath catch in her throat, as his smile turned into a slyer grin, “Alright, let’s get this party started, shall we? Olaf, kill the lights, bro-”Olaf happily obliged, darkening the room except for the fluorescent light of the projector they had set up that morning. “Rockin, thanks man. And Sven, you start the damn thing!”

The projector hummed to life, and began to play the music ever so softly, and it became louder and louder in volume. Honeymaren could hardly pay attention to the beginning of the film, she’d seen it over six times anyway, and she didn’t really care about seeing the  _ Wonder Years _ kid (or was it the  _ Karate Kid _ ? She always mixed them up, unless they were the same person?) talking to his grandpa. There was something that felt right in the room, and she couldn’t decide whether it was the fact that she finally felt like she was a part of her brother’s friend group, or if it was the intimacy of the way Elsa had stretched a blanket she’d found next to her across both of their laps, hugging them together tighter.

Elsa didn’t laugh at any of the jokes, but rather smiled when she found something amusing. Honeymaren had to keep glancing to the side of her to catch a glimpse of it, and while she was terrified that Elsa would eventually notice, she found herself craving her smile more and more as the movie went on. It just felt right to be sitting next to her, in the dark, with their legs softly touching under the warmth and comfort of a blanket. Honeymaren felt like she could almost wrap an arm around her shoulders, pull her into her chest, and snuggle up into her soft, clean hair. It would be fun to have a girlfriend within a friend group, where they could go on long adventures, or snuggle up during long movie nights with their friends, and then go home  _ together _ .

It was a long shot from the truth, though; a fantasy that Honeymaren couldn’t quite get a grip on. The only reason they were friends, the only reason Elsa paid her the time of  _ day _ , was because they both knew Anna was in danger. They had made a pact, or an “alliance” as Elsa had declared it, to work together and fight to keep Anna safe without hurting their own relationships with her. It was a business partner sort of deal, and it ended there. She couldn’t let a pretty face distract her from what was really important. And she’d already been too distracted already.

The way Elsa danced in her underwear, or smiled at the  _ Princess Bride _ , or made sharp, witty jokes, or adored her little gecko weren’t important enough to cloud Honeymaren’s judgment to this extent. In regular circumstances, Honeymaren would have certainly asked her out by now, or at least tried to kiss her or hold her hand, but this was a more serious dynamic that she had to uphold. She had almost forgotten about the texts Hans had sent her, and she  _ couldn’t  _ let herself forget about it. She had to remain alert--she couldn’t afford to put Anna’s happiness in jeopardy. 

There had to be a reason that he was forcing Anna into a surprise situation, although Honeymaren couldn’t decide what that reason would be. He hadn’t given her many details, outside of the date, time and location, along with the instructions to dress in formal attire and keep it a secret at all costs. That meant that Elsa couldn’t come with her, and it would be on her shoulders alone to spy on Anna and Hans, to see if she could catch a glimpse of anything suspicious at the party. There was a secret part of her that hoped he was only a little neurotic, and not the controlling, toxic demon Honeymaren feared he was. Another part of her knew to trust her intuition--Anna was always a little different after she interacted with him. 

Something had been seeming off about Anna throughout the night; a glossy look in her eyes that Honeymaren couldn’t quite place. This expression was becoming more frequent as Anna had been dating Hans, and it was this look--this horrifying, expressionless teetering between being “fine” and losing herself entirely--was the reason Honeymaren had decided to approach Elsa in the first place. She kept assuming that Anna would break up with him eventually on her own, but now they were swiftly reaching a year and six months of being together, and she knew she had to step in. She just really missed her best friend. 

Then, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach as the puzzle pieces clicked together. 

_ Was Anna traumatized? _

She closed her eyes, and tried to focus her mind, desperately trying to remember what she’d learned in her psychology classes. Instead of letting herself sink further, or develop  _ any  _ feelings for Elsa that were beyond platonic or professional, she would think about their strategy. She could think about her feelings later.

“I’ve never seen this movie before,” A low, raspy whisper tickled her ear, “But I think it’s really great so far. We should do movie nights more often.” Elsa’s eyes danced in the darkness and anonymity of their cozy, little spot. 

“ _ As you wish.”  _ Westley answered Honeymaren’s thoughts on the projector.

***

The epic swordplay scene between Indigo Montoya and Westley was taking place on the screen, and Kristoff hadn’t realized how much more comfortable he’d gotten within the first span of the film. He’d relaxed completely into the cushions of the couch, all stiffness and nervousness gone from his system, and he was thoroughly entertained by both the movie, and the cute little spitfire sitting beside him. Anna was a total chatterbox, and she seemed to have a comment about everything going on in the movie. Usually, Kristoff was annoyed by people who talked during movies, but there was something about the way she would giggle at her own jokes, and glance at him for his approval that made him feel noticeably less bothered. 

“How many times do you think they had to practice this sequence?” She asked, this time turning her attention to Sven, who kept his eyes fixed totally on the screen.

“Dunno, you could probably Google it. This movie’s a classic, I’m sure there are tons of trivia websites.” He answered, “There’s a reason everybody loves it. And see, Kristoff? It’s a way better choice than  _ Reservoir Dogs _ .”

Kristoff could only huff in response, not totally in agreement (both films were excellent in their  _ own right _ ), but also not willing to get into an argument over it. He was honestly surprised to hear Anna pipe up next to him, “Okay, but that  _ Stealers Wheel _ scene? That’s  _ also  _ a classic.” She leaned over and pulled her knees up to her chest, “Not enough romance, though. This movie is just so cute!” 

Something about the way she said it made Kristoff’s heartbeat a little faster, thumping loudly against his chest. He risked a quick glance at her, smiling at the way she was totally fixated on the film in front of them. Her red hair was tucked up neatly in a messy bun, and her petite chin was resting on her knees. She looked like she could be a Disney Princess, herself, the type of person who you’d climb up a tower to save. “I guess it’s just kinda cheesy,” He couldn’t stop himself from saying. “She shouldn’t have to wait around for him to just save her like that.”

Anna only smiled wider, and shifted so that her body was facing him fully, her legs twisting into a pretzel position. “Is that right?” She asked, “Kristoff Bjorgman, are you telling me there’s never been a single damsel you wouldn’t fight for? Ruin a wedding, and run off with her, or him, or them, into the sunset?” She fell backwards dramatically onto Sven, who laughed as he pushed her off of him.

Kristoff rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to the television, “Nope, no one yet.”

“‘Yet’ being the key word there,” Ryder joined in, with a snort. “Kristoff’s secretly a huge softie. He would go riding down a mountain, on a mighty steed, just to-”

“ _ Okay _ , dude, we get it.” Kristoff couldn’t help himself from laughing. It really was a stupid picture-- _ him _ as some white knight? It was a load of bullshit. “I would make an excellent Knight in Shining Armor. I’d have to grow eight more arms to catch everyone swooning around me.”

“ _ Oh, Kristoff, _ ” Anna sang, and dramatically flopped over to him, her light body landing on him like a goddamn  _ feather _ . Her head landed on his shoulder, and she looked up at him with fluttering, dark eyelashes. “I think we’d be much better as Andre the Giant and Indigo Montoya, don’t you think? I feel like we have a quirky dynamic.”

He glowered at her, and shoved her off of him lightly, “That seems a lot more likely. I just don’t have a romantic bone in my body. Never will.” He promised gruffly, and leaned back into the sofa.

“C’mon Kristoff, we can all tell when you’re lying. And nobody likes a liar.” Olaf teased him, making his blood boil, and his face  _ definitely _ redden a little bit. Sure, he’d had crushes before, but none that ever really mattered all that much to him. He probably wasn’t able to-

His thoughts were cut off when he noticed Anna’s body stiffen, and her bright, emotional eyes glaze over. She tensed quickly, and then shook her head harshly, before leaning back into the sofa, herself. He felt his brows knit together as he watched her, but her eyes stayed forward, concentrating on the movie. He swallowed, debating whether or not to ask her if she was alright. Her reaction seemed so sudden and out of nowhere, he couldn’t help but feel like he had done something to alarm her.

_ Did she think he was cute?  _

There was no way that was it, right? Although it might explain her reaction to his statement about not being romantic. Olaf was right, Kristoff loved romance and had a specific secret obsession with cute romcoms and movie-musicals. He listened to far too many 80’s rock ballads, consistently belting them out at any karaoke opportunity he had. 

But Kristoff, with his unmanly blondeness and his weird smell, and his ridiculous height and stature couldn’t possibly be what a girl like Anna was looking for. Even throughout their brief conversations of the night, he could tell that she was completely out of his league romantically, and he was really looking forward to developing a friendship with her. 

She chatted lengthily about her love of writing and how she loved being the VP of Philanthropy for Delta Gamma, and how their philanthropy week was coming up. She even mentioned their Golden Anchor program, where she would take their Service for Sight to retirement homes, and hang out with people who were either losing their eyesight or had already lost it. She was vivacious and charming and  _ beautiful  _ in the way that only certain people could be. Even from only a few hours of knowing her  _ total _ , he knew that she could never have feelings for someone like him. So it had to be something else.

He sucked in a breath, before contemplating whether or not to brush his hand against her tiny shoulder. He decided against it, but knew that if he was ever going to attempt establishing any sort of friendship with her, he would have to reach out a little. “Hey, Anna, are you doing good?” He asked, trying to keep his voice as casual as possible. 

“Yeah!” She jolted up, as if she had been in a trance, and clearly forced a smile towards him, showing every one of her teeth. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

He looked at her questioningly, before shrugging it off. Clearly, she didn’t want to talk about it, and he shouldn’t press any further. There was just something so disturbing about the way she sat unmovingly, when she had been so fidgety and chatty for the entire night up to that point. He shifted in his own seat, and dragged his eyes back to the projector. He clearly created the problem, so he shouldn’t pry any further.  _ Fuck _ , how had he been so stupid again? She was finally getting comfortable with his friends, and he ruined it for her again. And how had he been so dumb to think that she might even  _ like  _ him? That was against everything he stood for, and what his fraternity stood for. It was stupid and narcissitic to think that just because a girl paid him the time of day, that she would want to date him or something. He didn’t even know her, and he couldn’t let his “nice guy complex” get the best of him. She deserved better than that, just like any other human being. 

He tried not to bother her again for the rest of the night. The second he would find her physically or emotionally attractive, he would shut his mind down and start thinking about his homework, or his upcoming fraternity obligations instead. He was being an idiot.

And she clearly deserved better than that. 

***

Anna was getting completely exhausted--she had been faking it for too many hours in a row, and she could feel her energy depleting by the minute. After the movie night ended, Elsa had asked Honeymaren if she wanted to have another glass of wine at their apartment, and she’d happily agreed. Anna wished that she hadn’t, even though she could tell that her sister’s feelings towards her best friend were getting stronger by the hour. She kept thinking back to Hans’ text that she’d had to ignore throughout the evening, so she didn’t rouse suspicion from any of her friends. Especially Kristoff or Sven, since they were sitting close enough to her, they would have been able to see what was on her phone even if she put it on the darkest display possible.

_ Call me tonight after your little...engagement.  _

The words kept running through her head like a song, over and over again, to the point where she was having a difficult time focusing on anything else. She tried to engage in conversation during the movie night, making jokes and asking questions in a failing attempt to distract herself from the burning pit in her stomach. She felt so guilty and awful, and she couldn’t shove her feelings away. She’d been quiet during the short drive back to her apartment, barely able to hear the music Elsa and Honeymaren were singing along to. She barely felt her feet as they climbed the stairs up to their home, and quietly excused herself to take a shower as soon as they went inside. 

Elsa asked her if she wanted a glass of wine too. Anna declined politely, and hurried to the bathroom, ripping off her clothes and pulling her hair down so it hung wildly over her face. She looked like a complete mess, but she stopped herself from crying as she turned on the water of the shower, and swiped her phone open to Hans’ contact. 

He only let it ring once before he picked up the phone. “Anna, I’m so glad you decided to call. It only took you three or four hours to get back to me this time.” Her stomach churned from the vile, anger seeping through his tone. 

“Hans, I’m sorry, you know I can’t call you in front of my friends,” She sighed, pressing a finger to her temple, and willing the fear out of her own voice. “I’m sorry.”

“Your apologies are wearing thin.” He responded quickly, before she had been able to say anything else. “Have you thought about my proposal?”

“Yes.” Her voice sounded more meek than she meant it to, “But you said I had three days to think it over-”

“Well, perhaps I’ve changed my mind. I need to know whether I’ve wasted a year and a half with you, and if I should cease wasting my time.” He chided, his words cutting her like the blade of a knife. Her knees began to feel weak, and she gripped the counter.

“I just need some more time-” She pleaded, trying to not sniffle. She didn’t want him to be angry with her, she wanted him to love her, but she still hadn’t had time to think over his proposal. Changing up their sex life was a big deal, especially if it meant changing her body with birth control, or endangering her future without it. 

“Please stop blubbering, Anna, it’s truly disgusting.” He sighed over the phone, “But clearly, I can see that dangling our relationship over you isn’t enough. Have you been talking to your sister about us? Have you mentioned any of this to her?”

Her eyes widened at themselves in the bathroom mirror, wide and terrified and  _ pathetic. _ She truly hated herself, “No,  _ no, _ of course not. I wouldn’t ever-”

“And yet, I still don’t trust you. So I’m afraid I’ll have to raise the stakes.” He snapped, his voice suddenly filled with rage she’d only ever encountered in his bedroom. “Come over  _ tonight _ and prove yourself to me, or your sister may meet with an unfortunate,” He paused, as if searching for the right word, “ _ Consequence _ .”

Anna’s body began to convulse, feeling completely numb, “What-” She tried to ask, as her hands shook. She fell to her knees, emotionally and physically unable to continue to stand, “Hans, please, what does that mean?” He couldn’t do anything to hurt  _ Elsa _ . He loved her. He wouldn’t. He was just trying to convince her to trust him more, to trust that he would never do anything to hurt her. 

“Prove to me that you love me, and it won’t be a problem.” How the hell was his voice staying that even? It was like he never threatened Elsa in the first place. Maybe Anna just misunderstood. She was just misunderstanding, right? Hans would never do anything to hurt her. Never. 

“I love you.”  _ I love you. I love you. I swear that I love you. _ “Please, Hans, I’ll do anything-”

“Excellent. Then, I suppose we won’t have a problem. I’ll be over to fetch you. You have twenty minutes.” He hung up on her, and she crumbled fully to the floor, sobs racking her body. She was exhausted, and she was sure she just misunderstood what he said. He would never do anything to hurt her.

_ Never _ .

***

“I have to admit,” Elsa smiled over her glass of wine, “I had a lot of fun tonight. Your brother throws one hell of a soiree.” Her head had been swimming since she got home, and she knew that she couldn’t wipe the rosiness away from her cheeks even if she tried. She had spent the entire day with Honeymaren, since the embarrassing  _ Lizzo  _ incident, and she was finding that she still didn’t want her to leave. Her company was simply intoxicating and addictive, with the way she laughed, and listened intently to anything Elsa had to say. Regardless of her physical beauty, she could tell that Honeymaren truly was a considerate and kind person. 

“Hey, well, it runs in the family,” Honeymaren took a sip from her own glass, “You should try to come to our Philanthropy week events--Anna and I really need to get crackin’ on them, but they’re sure to be a blast.”

Elsa knew that she wouldn’t miss the events for the  _ world _ , but she didn’t want to seem desperate, so she nodded her head and hummed in agreement, “If it doesn’t conflict with any of my endless dissertations, I would be more than happy to come.” And then added a more sincere, “Thank you.”

Honeymaren took a larger gulp of her wine and set the glass on the table. “Yeah, of course.” She paused, and her intelligent eyes flicked around the room as if she were pondering something. She turned her concentration back to Elsa and a breathtaking electricity suddenly jolted through her veins. “I think we need to start implementing more strategies sooner rather than later with the whole ‘Operation: Breakup’ thing.”

_ Right _ . The reason they were in such contact in the first place. Elsa felt her heart sink a little bit, as she remembered that their partnership was mostly of business rather than friendship. How had she lost sight of that so quickly? She inhaled deeply, suddenly feeling rather incompetent. “I think our current subtle strategies are working.” She paused, and then remembered the surprise party Honeymaren had mentioned earlier. She scrutinized her, searching her eyes, “Has there been a new development since this afternoon?”

Honeymaren sighed, “No, not that I know of anyway. But it’s just-” She chewed her lip again, and looked away. Elsa’s stomach started to feel uneasy--she hadn’t seen Honeymaren look this nervous in the week that she’d known her, and she couldn’t stop her hand from reaching over the table to grasp Honeymaren’s hand. The girl almost jerked it away, her eyes wide at the gesture, before they snapped up to meet Elsa’s. She gripped her hand tighter, her skin soft and her touch desperate. “Listen, Elsa, I, uh.” 

“It’s okay,” Elsa offered, trying to force all of her kindness into her words. She rubbed her thumb against Honeymaren’s hand, “What’s going on?”

Honeymaren let out a sigh, that sounded more like a shudder, and it made Elsa’s stomach ache. “I think Anna’s showing some signs of trauma, but I can’t be sure.” She said the words quickly, and Elsa’s face paled. She wanted to ask a thousand questions, but they caught in her throat, and she felt like she was choking on them. Honeymaren continued, and clutched her hand, “I’m a psych minor, so like, this is definitely an unprofessional diagnosis, okay? But she seemed really withdrawn and kind of confused throughout the movie. She looked, um.” She reached for the right word, “Haunted, I think, and I think we might need to start being a little more forceful with our questions. Just to, y’know, get to the bottom of this.”

Elsa pulled her hand away, and raked it through her hair. She was unable to pull her eyes from the table.  _ How could she have been so stupid?  _ Honeymaren was still talking to her, but she sounded like she was far away, like Elsa was underwater, drowning. She nodded her head, but couldn’t move her eyes up, until the sound of a door slamming made her jerk up, her eyes landing on her sister, her red hair still dripping wet from the shower. Honeymaren turned around to face her too. 

“Hey guys, I’m so sorry to cut this short,” She gave them an awkward little smile, but Honeymaren was right. Her eyes were completely glazed over. Had Elsa seriously allowed herself to be  _ that  _ distracted by her feelings? To only focus on the way Honeymaren smiled, and not the way her little sister was struggling? She was so fucking  _ blind _ . “I’m spending the night with Hans-”

“ _ No. _ ” Elsa said, sounding a lot more hoarse and commanding than she had meant to. 

“What?” Anna spun around to face her, “Why not?”

“I think,” Honeymaren interjected, “She just thought we were going to have some wine, just the three of us? Could you maybe rain check on him?”

“I’m sorry,” Anna’s eyes looked empty, like she was completely possessed. “I’ll hang out with you guys tomorrow night. I promise. He’s just already here.”

Elsa felt like she was made of stone, unable to move as her sister walked out the door, just staring after her. As Anna slipped out, she noticed it.

A bruise like a handprint on Anna’s shoulder, enormous and devastating. Ruining her pale, lovely complexion. A mark of belonging, of ownership, of  _ violence.  _

Elsa rushed to the sink and vomited, unable to hold it in. She felt completely numb, even to the bile gushing out of her. She didn’t even notice the way Honeymaren held her between her sobs. She was drowning.

No, Anna was drowning.

Elsa just needed to learn how to swim, and quickly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK U GUYS AGAIN FOR READING ANOTHER CHAPTER AND FOR THE CONSTANT COMMENTS AND SUPPORT!!!! it really means so so much to me, and i'm sorry about the cliffhanger i'll let u guys dangle there for a minute and post the next chap asap!!


	6. Plan B

The sun was finally starting to rise over the hills, and Anna wasn’t sure how long she’d been walking. She’d left Hans’ condo around 4:30am, long before he was supposed to get up according to his strict routine, and slipped out of his bed without him noticing. She barely even noticed that her feet were sore and blistering as her shoes smacked against the pavement. She could barely feel anything at all, and she was sure she looked like a complete mess, but she was numb to everything after the night before.

She couldn’t remember leaving her phone at her apartment before going over to Hans’ place, but when she got there, she realized she’d left it on the bathroom counter. She was starting to forget more and more things, the memories fading away from her, along with any control she’d ever possessed. She could only remember snapshots of her time with Hans the night before, and every thought made her stomach churn and bile rise to the top of her throat. Her eyes were swollen from tears she hadn’t realized she’d cried, and her wrists were bruised and aching, along with her back and collarbone. She had no idea how she was going to hide them from Elsa. Anna figured she would just have to worry about it later.

Her body worked on autopilot as she turned the streets and corners, a warm summer breeze flitting over her shoulders and barely keeping her awake. She was only aware that she had made it into the Walgreens when the fluorescent light made her sneeze from its brightness, a genetic trait both she and her sister contained. Her neck stung from the jolt, and she blinked rapidly to force herself to grow accustomed to the store.

The Walgreens almost looked like it was haunted and vacant, and she must’ve circled around the premises three or four times before she remembered why she’d gone there in the first place. She hobbled over towards the refrigerators in the corner of the store, and pulled out a light blue bottle of Gatorade. She thumbed over the lid of it, and tears began to sting her cheeks again. It reminded her of going to gymnastics and ballet with Elsa when they were younger, and her mother had always given them tiny blue bottles of the product for electrolytes. Anna wondered what her mother would think if she could see her now. If she could see what she was about to do. 

But Anna was tough, and she knew that she had to be. It was a sacrifice she had decided to make, and she had to follow through with it. She couldn’t change the past, so she simply had to do the next right thing. She moved numbly, only aware that she was carrying herself from the sound of her squeaky shoes against the linoleum. She made her way up to the counter and smiled at the clerk, barely noticing anything about him, and set her bottle of Gatorade against the counter. 

“That it for you today?” He asked, grasping the object and scanning it. 

She shook her head, and felt her shoulders shaking as loose sobs threatened to escape her, “Um, no, actually. Could I please um.” She sniffled and inhaled deeply, before shuddering out an exhale. “Can I please have a Plan-B pill too?”

The clerk nodded, as if he barely noticed her, and turned his back to open up the sealed-off cupboard behind him. Once he procured the little packet, he scanned it. “You want a bag for these today?” Anna shook her head, and gripped her right hand against her left wrist, willing her arms from convulsing. “Great. That’ll be $62.43.” 

She swung her tiny backpack off of her shoulders, and began to search through it for her wallet, when something moved on the counter in front of her. She jolted back, out of surprise, as she recognized it instantly. 

A brown, leather wallet with the words “Bad Motherfucker” sewn with black string, had slid right in front of her. She suddenly felt a much larger presence behind her, as an enormous arm stretched over her head, handing the clerk a wad of cash. “I’ve got it,” A deep, sincere voice promised. The clerk shrugged, and took the wad and began counting it. 

Anna sighed harshly out of her nose, and risked turning to see the broad, blond man who had paid for her. “Kristoff?” She asked, noting the way he looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, his golden hair was mussed, and he was wearing a  _ very  _ flattering black t-shirt and less flattering sweatpants. He had a concerned look on his face when his eyes met hers. 

“Hey Anna,” He said simply, and took a step forward to collect his change. He plucked up the Gatorade and the plastic packet and handed them to her. He offered a “Thanks man.” to the clerk, before turning and walking towards the exit. 

“Wait! Kristoff-” Anna skipped forward a few steps to catch up with him, as he took enormous strides forward. “You didn’t have to do that.” She said, craning her head to attempt to look him in the eye. 

Kristoff huffed, and offered her a casual little side glance, as if he hadn’t just purchased the most embarrassing thing Anna had ever needed, “You shouldn’t have to buy that for yourself.” He sounded angry, and she suddenly felt like a total imbecile. The last thing she wanted to do was to make Kristoff upset, especially with her. “I’m not going to judge you, but a gentleman wouldn’t let you spend your own money on that.” 

Anna looked down at the packet in her hand, and felt like her heart was sinking. She knew that Hans would have bought it for her if she hadn’t left on her own. He was a good person, and she knew that even though it didn’t always seem like it, he respected her body and her choices. For whatever reason, instead of defending her situation, she simply admitted, “I know.” In a soft, pathetic little voice.

The large man’s eyes widened a little, as he reached over her shoulders to touch her, and then immediately retracted his hand, pulling it to his side with a smack. He slowed his pace to a stop, and turned to face her, “Where did you park?” He asked, his eyes suddenly filled with the concern she’d noticed at the movie night.  _ How was this guy reading her like a book?  _

“I uh-” Her hands began to shake again, “I walked?”

“From your place?” He asked, and then paused, undoubtedly understanding what she meant from her silence. “Oh.” He shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other. Anna felt herself shriveling in her stance. She must have seemed like such a  _ slut  _ to him, like some complete idiot who couldn’t figure out how sex worked. And she couldn’t tell him that she had a boyfriend, because he would probably wonder why she hadn’t brought it up sooner. And then she would have to be honest about the age difference, and the teaching situation, and she’d already told Elsa and Honeymaren. No one else could know. 

Anna was sure she was about to lose Kristoff’s respect, that she had worked so hard to earn. But of course someone like him wouldn’t respect her. She was a complete and utter pathetic little idiot, who couldn’t even be honest with her boyfriend about the way he’d hurt her. She felt herself shaking a little harder--she should’ve been smarter than to think the Betas wouldn’t figure out what a meek, cowardly little  _ whore _ she was. And then, they would tell Elsa and Honeymaren, and Anna would be alone again. 

“Can I give you a ride home?” Kristoff’s voice sounded soft, the way his eyes made her feel, and completely caught her off guard. “I totally understand if that’s overstepping, but I’d really like to. If you’re okay with it, I mean.” 

Anna felt like she was going to teeter, but his kindness felt warm and comfortable, like a fire on a cold winter night. She tried to offer him a weak smile, but she knew he could see through it, “That’s really sweet of you to offer. But I feel like you’ve already been way too kind to me, you know? I couldn’t ask you for anything else.”

“Hey,” His smile was gentle, a new expression that she’d never seen on his face before, “Seriously, Anna. It’s like you said at the kickback. We’re friends now. And I would never let my friend pay for her own Plan-B pill, or walk home by herself at six in the morning. Okay?” 

She nodded her head, but didn’t totally believe him. She wanted to tell him that she was fine, that it was good to see him, and go on her way, but she knew that it was too late in the game for that. “I guess that makes sense.”

“And listen, I don’t usually take people places, so this is a pretty big deal, feistypants,” He grinned, and turned to walk towards his car. Anna hadn’t realized how cold she’d felt until he smiled at her, filling her up with a warmth she hadn’t known she was capable of feeling. 

“Wow, how could I say no to that kind of offer?” She traipsed behind him, and was suddenly aware of herself. Aware of the way her feet ached, and the nerves she felt about taking the Plan B pill for the first time. Aware that she was happy not to be alone, especially right at that moment. 

Kristoff stopped walking next to a gray Subaru, and unlocked it. He swung around to the passenger side, to open her door for her, and quickly went back to sit in the driver’s seat. Anna felt her breath practically catch in her throat. She couldn’t remember the last time a boy had opened a door for her, and she almost teared up from the consideration of Kristoff’s efforts as she hopped up into the car and took a seat. 

The entire vehicle smelled firmly like Kristoff. His cologne, his shampoo, and a musky scent that seemed to just be  _ him _ . She hardly knew him, but even the way he smelled made her feel safe, the cushions of the seat easing her bruising and aches as she rested. He glanced at her again, “I get that Danger’s probably your middle name, but you should really put your seatbelt on.” 

“Oh! Right.” She pulled the strap over her body, and settled back into the car. She chewed her bottom lip, and watched him as his firm body shifted the car into gear, and glanced over his shoulder as he expertly backed the vehicle out of its spot. “Hey, uh.” She stuttered out, keeping her eyes focused over the dashboard to force herself to stop admiring him. He was handsome, and there wasn’t a doubt about it, but she was dating someone else. She was tired, and sleep deprived and emotionally drained, and she couldn’t let her think things like that. “Do you mind if I take this in here?” She gestured to the packet, “It’s just that I’ve- I’ve never taken it before, and I don’t want my sister to know but I also don’t um.” She sucked in a deep breath, still rocking with embarrassment, “I don’t want to do it alone, you know?” 

Kristoff moved one of his hands off of the wheel and scratched the back of his head, “Of course not. I’m happy to help you with anything you need. Seriously.” She pushed out a harsh breath and focused on opening up the packet, finding that it was ridiculously difficult, and started forcing all of her strength upon it, prying it open haphazardly. Once she finally got the pill to pop out of it’s little foil wrapping, she almost wanted to laugh at how tiny it was. She reached over, and opened her Gatorade, before placing the little capsule on her tongue and taking a swig of the drink.

She took another sip, before gently offering a “Thank you.” It was bizarre to her that even though she didn’t know Kristoff, that he would be so willing to help her and be there for her when no one else could be. She was surprised to understand that he was actually taking her, and the friendship she’d proposed, seriously. She suddenly felt a little bit ashamed to assume that all frat guys were silly, sex-obsessed idiots, when Kristoff so clearly wanted her to feel safe and comfortable around him. “So…” She offered, suddenly aware of the awkward silence within the car. 

“Shit, right. Uh,” He fumbled, trying to find something to talk about, “I mean, we don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. But I want to. If you want to, I mean. I like talking with you.”

“No, I love talking,” Anna jutted in, “I’m a huge chatterbox, I was always getting in trouble for it in Elementary School. I can seriously talk about anything for  _ hours  _ to the point where it’s a problem.”

“Really? I hadn’t gotten that from you,” He teased her, his mouth quirking up to one side. Anna really enjoyed his lopsided little grin, and the fact that his expressions were always so evident on his face. He really  _ was _ the “honest good”, just like Sven had said. “Alright, feistypants. What do you want to talk about?”

“Maybe that nickname? It’s easily the fourth time you’ve used it,” She folded her arms, almost forgetting about the bruising on her wrists. She tried not to flinch too much, not wanting to draw his attention to them. “What does it even mean?”

He shrugged, and his face suddenly looked a little ruddy in the early sunlight, “I dunno, you’re just. A feisty little spitfire? Or something? So I figure, ‘feistypants’ is pretty damn fitting.”

She nodded, in understanding, “Alright, alright.” She paused, and risked a sideways glance at him, a wide grin on her face. “In that case, can I call you ‘blondie’ or ‘grumpyface’ or something?”

“No  _ way, _ those are so lame.” He frowned, and chuckled, “But they’re the first ones you came up with, so we can let them slide. For now.”

“You sure, blondie?” She wiggled her eyebrows, and then wrinkled her nose in mild disgust, “Wait. You’re right, that one’s awful. What about like, ‘Wonderboy’ or ‘Prince Charming’ or something?”

“I feel like you should just quit while you’re ahead.” He laughed again, a little more freely this time. Anna liked his laugh too, and the way his nose lightly bumped up and down when he truly thought something was funny. 

“Nah, I don’t give up on anything. Or anyone, for that matter.” She looked out the window, barely missing the way he turned to look at her. Like she was precious and important. Like he would do anything for her.

“No, apparently you don’t.” He said, his voice filled with genuine admiration. 

***

Honeymaren woke up with a violent jolt as she heard the door open, and she fumbled around herself, trying to make sense of her surroundings. She was covered in a blanket, but definitely not in her room. She sat up, her back cracking ever-so-slightly, as she patted around the couch for her glasses, since she’d taken her contacts out the night before. Everything around her was completely blurry, but familiar, and she had finally figured out that she was in Anna and Elsa’s apartment, when she heard her name, “Honeymaren?” Anna padded over to her, a look of concern on her face. “What are you doing here?”

_ Right _ . Honeymaren felt her face suddenly heat up, “Your uh, your sister was um.” How was she supposed to explain it? After Anna had left, and Elsa had vomited most of her dinner, she’d shut herself away in her room, and Honeymaren hadn’t been able to coax her out. She still didn’t want to leave her alone, though, and opted to sleep on the couch instead, but she couldn’t tell Anna the truth; not if they were going to keep their plan on track, “She got a little sick, so I thought I’d just stay here until you got home. Y’know, just in case?”

“Uh  _ huh _ ,” Anna’s face twisted into a small little smile, as she circled around the sofa to sit on the other end of it, “Yeah that seems like a normal thing to do when someone you hardly know is sick.”

“She’s your  _ sister _ ,” Honeymaren argued, feeling her own voice start to rise in panic, “And so, yeah, I’m gonna make sure my best friend’s sister is doing okay. It’s a normal thing to do for a best friend.” She felt her cheeks heat up when she saw the unenthused gleam in Anna’s eyes. Honeymaren huffed out of her nose, there was no use trying to avoid it any longer. “Okay, so I guess we won’t pretend like you haven’t figured it out.” 

She cringed as her best friend lit up with a burst of giggles and bounced on the couch, “I knew it! I  _ knew  _ it, you are so not subtle, ‘Mare!” She squealed and clapped her hands together. “Like you’d just spend every night over here for a week just for lil’ ol’ me!” She burst into another fit of laughter. 

Honeymaren’s eyes widened, and her heart picked up a little bit in pace, “Okay, shh-  _ no _ , Anna, you have to be quieter!” Anna filled her cheeks up with air, to blow them up and stay quiet. “Jesus,  _ thank you. _ ”

“I knew it,” Anna repeated, in a stage whisper, poking Honeymaren’s shoulder gently. “When are you gonna ask her out?”

She gasped, almost choking on her own breath as she sputtered, “What? No, Anna, I’m not going to.” There were at least three hundred reasons why she wouldn’t ask her out. For example, the fact that Elsa was the most terrifying person in the world, and more importantly that, “She’s your _sister._ I’m not just going to ask her out.”  
“Why not?” Anna grinned, leaning towards her and making her shift uncomfortably, “I bet she’d say ‘yes’.” 

“Because it’s just-” Honeymaren sighed and put her face in her hands, rubbing hard circles over her tired eyes, “It’s not something I just want to hop into, you know? Like. I just don’t.”  _ Want to do that to her--mess with her feelings when she’s already a wreck over you.  _ “Want anybody to get hurt. I think I need to give it some more time.”

Anna nodded understandingly. Honeymaren pulled her hands away from her eyes, and felt her stomach drop when she noticed the dark bruising on Anna’s wrists. She flicked her gaze up to meet her friends’, and found an odd sense of understanding. Anna had wanted her to see them, right? She wouldn’t have accidentally left them so visible if she didn’t want Honeymaren to know. “Anna, what-” She started to ask, before shaking her head, willing intrusive thoughts to leave her. She breathed out slowly, knowing she had to tread delicately on the subject, “What’s going on with Hans right now?”

Her redheaded friend looked like she’d been hit in the stomach, like she couldn’t breathe from her wind being knocked out. Honeymaren pressed further, and nervously reached over to brush a hand over Anna’s petite wrist, “It’s okay, I’m not going to hate him or anything.” She promised, reassuringly. It was the truth--she at least couldn’t hate him any more than she already did. “You left so quickly last night. Did you two have a fight or somethi-”  
Anna surprised her, by cutting her off with immediate honesty, a look of terror filling her blue eyes, “He threatened Elsa. I had to go.”

Out of everything that Honeymaren had expected Anna to say, she was completely taken off guard by that. She could feel her heart beating with panic, and she felt her words choking out of her, “What? Why would he do that?” Her brow was knit together, and she hadn’t realized that she was grasping Anna’s wrists tightly, until her friend winced in pain. “Sorry,” She said, and pulled away, trying to shake herself into a state of logic. But nothing about this was making sense.

“I honestly don’t know, I just-” She sucked in a breath, “I don’t think, um. I don’t think he would ever do anything to hurt her, just like he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. I just.” She was stammering, clearly struggling to defend his actions “At that moment, I panicked. And just left.” Anna paused, and Honeymaren felt like her body was starting to go numb. Elsa was in danger, and Anna was too. She was clearly in denial--those bruises hadn’t been on her wrists the night before, and she looked completely worse for wear. Dark circles lined her eyes, and her hair was messy, as if she hadn’t even taken a comb with her in the first place. 

Honeymaren knew Hans was capable of a lot more damage than Anna seemed to think. She wracked her brain, trying to remember everything that Anna had told her about him. He liked sandwiches, his favorite color was green and he was a part of an enormous  _ wealthy family _ . That meant that he probably had some scary connections, right? Honeymaren had never been wealthy, and had gotten into Delta Gamma on scholarship, so she couldn’t even fathom what it might be like to be Anna and Elsa with their bountiful inheritance, let alone some rich scummy white dude like Hans, who could probably get away with anything. Even-

“You can’t tell her.” Anna warned, “Please, don’t. I’m sure I just misunderstood, I was just scared, and I felt like I needed to go over there-”

Honeymaren drew in a deep breath, and exhaled it. She needed to stay calm, so that she could handle the situation effectively. If she let her fear, her  _ feelings _ get the best of her, she could do more harm than good. “Anna, I know. It’s okay, we’ll make sure he doesn’t hurt her. And I’m not going to tell her what you told me.” She looked her in the eyes, to let her know she wasn’t lying. It would hurt her to not be honest with Elsa, but if it meant keeping the two most important women in her life safe (outside of her mom, of course), it would be worth it. “What did he say to you exactly?” 

Anna fidgeted the way she did when she forgot to prepare for the weekly DG meeting. She hummed, and chewed her lip before nervously responding, “He said that if I didn’t, uh, earn his trust, Elsa would face a ‘consequence’.” Honeymaren frowned-- _ What was he, some mobster from the 1930s?  _ That was certainly, and without a doubt, a threat. A threat Honeymaren wasn’t entirely sure he would be able to keep. It was obvious that he had groomed Anna into almost total submission, but Elsa hardly knew him. He didn’t even invite her to the “surprise party” for Anna, which made Honeymaren weary in and of itself.

“Maybe,” She started, trying to keep her voice steady as she made her suggestion, “You should only see Hans in class for a minute. We can keep hanging out here, or at Ryder’s house for a while, and you can just say you have sorority obligations. Okay?”

She shook her head, “No, he’s not going to believe that. I sent him my calendar earlier this year, and seriously, ‘Mare, he isn’t dangerous! He’s my true love and he wouldn’t do anything-”

“No.” Honeymaren strained her voice as she searched for a solution. She just needed to keep Anna away from him long enough, to distract her enough, to see the extent that he’d groomed her--to see what kind of damage he’d done, to see what Honeymaren needed to do to help heal her. “We’ll-” Her eyes lit up when an idea struck her, “We’ll go to all of the Beta Theta Pi philanthropy events next week, and say that we have to earn a certain amount of points at them. Okay? And this week, we’ll…” She searched for the right thing, “We’ll just say that I’m having a hard time getting over my breakup, and that I’m burdening you and your sister with my constant company.” It wasn’t a total lie, it’s just that Yasmine was now the  _ furthest  _ thing from Honeymaren’s mind.

Anna nodded slowly, but her hands began to shake, “I just.” She swallowed, “I just don’t want to lie to him, Honeymaren.” 

“I know,” She reached out a hand, hoping Anna wouldn’t see through her to her anxiety concerning Elsa. “I completely understand. But maybe you just need some space to think stuff over. What do you think?”

“I love him,” Anna argued, but it sounded much more desperate than she probably intended. A transparent cry for help. Anna may have not realized it yet, but she wished that she didn’t love him. He had already manipulated her so much.

“Of course you do,” Honeymaren soothed, and intertwined her fingers with her friends’. “But sometimes, even when we love someone, we need to take a step back and analyze whether they’re really healthy for us or not.”

“But he  _ is  _ healthy for me.” Anna snapped, pulling her hand away, “You just don’t know him the way that I do. He loves me. He was just confused.”

She had clearly gone too far, said way too much too soon, so she nodded her head carefully. “Well, since he’s understanding,” She began at a calm and steady level, locking her eyes with Anna’s, “Let’s just have some fun these next two or three weeks, and give your attention to some other obligations. Okay? I know that the boys want to see you again. It seems like Kristoff really wants to be your friend.”

Honeymaren pretended not to notice the way Anna’s eyes brightened at his name, a swift glimpse at the charming, happy girl she used to know. “Kristoff is impossible! Did he really say that about me?” When Honeymaren nodded, her friend chewed her lip for a moment, “Well, I mean, I’m sure Hans would understand if it was a Greek Row obligation!” 

Honeymaren knew he wouldn’t, but she needed to kill more time to figure out a plan. She couldn’t tell Elsa the truth, because she knew she would do anything for her sister. And she couldn’t let Elsa risk her own safety. She needed them both to be protected, which meant that she would have to completely rework the game plan, into something where both sisters could remain safe.

She wasn’t sure when it had happened, but at some point within the past three weeks, Elsa had become one of the most important people to her. She needed to keep her wits about her, and not let herself get distracted by her growing feelings for Elsa, even if it was the most difficult thing she’d ever had to do. Because both Anna and Elsa had to stay both physically and emotionally safe, or Honeymaren would never forgive herself. She could never let anything happen to either one of them.

_ But maybe Anna was already too far gone.  _

***

Four days after he ran into Anna at the Walgreens near his apartment, Kristoff finally recognized that the interaction was eating away at him. There was something about the way she’d looked; her splotchy, tearstained face made him want to punch whoever (or whatever) made her feel that way as hard as he possibly could. He kept wanting to text her, to ask her if she was feeling okay, but in the end he wasn’t entirely sure how to approach it in a way that didn’t make him seem ridiculously creepy. But, he was kind of getting ridiculously creepy. He had started to feel his breath catch in his throat every time he caught a glimpse of red hair, and would feel a little bit disheartened when it inevitably didn’t belong to  _ her _ .

He wasn’t going to tell anyone about their encounter, since he wanted to respect her privacy completely. When he and Sven went for a run up the mountain, and he saw a rock that  _ seriously  _ looked like her, (which didn’t make sense, why would Anna just be  _ standing in the woods _ ?), he caved. Mostly, because Sven was worried about how he’d jogged over to the rock, off the path in a sudden panic. 

“Dude, that’s completely overstepping.” His best friend gawked at him, his eyes filled with confusion, “What were you thinking? You never do shit like that.”

“I know,” Kristoff grumbled, running a hand through his sweaty hair. He was still a little breathless from his jog, and disgruntled that Sven had decided to tag along in the first place, “It’s just that she was  _ there  _ and it was six in the morning, and like. What kind of coincidence is that?” He knew his friend was right, and that he really didn’t have a ton of room to defend himself. Whoever got her to that point should’ve been the one to do what he did, but since that douchebag  _ wasn’t _ , Kristoff hadn’t thought twice about paying for her Plan-B pill. That shit was expensive, and while he couldn’t empathize directly, he was sure it was really scary to take for the first time. Especially if you were alone. 

Sven reached over the back of his shirt to yank it off and wipe his face on it, before putting it back on, “Listen, Kristoff, it’s not that I don’t think it was an adorable act of kindness, but,” Kristoff looked at his shoes, the way they scuffed pine needles on the trail, while Sven was clearly still thinking about how to finish his thought, “Dude, she’s clearly either A, in a relationship with someone else, or B, not interested in something very serious at all. And either way, it’s definitely not any of your business. Even if you like her.”  
Kristoff scratched his elbow, and shot a glare at his friend, opening his mouth to spit out some defensive, angry comeback. He snapped it shut, realizing that he was only acting out because his friend was right, which always sucked. Trudged forward a little further before admitting, “Sven, I haven’t _liked_ anyone since high school. I really think she’s just a really smart, brave, funny person, and it just-” He sighed harshly, “It just _really_ hurt me to see her suffer like that. You didn’t see how scared she was.” 

His friend was pensive for a moment, his brow knit together in thought. He stayed that way for a while, as they tromped down the hill, and Kristoff had to keep glancing at him to see if his expression had changed at all. It hadn’t, to his dismay, and his friend was completely unreadable by the time he implied, “It’s okay if you do have a crush on her, dude. It wouldn’t make you any less of a feminist or whatever. So long as you just don’t pressure her with it or anything.” 

“I don’t, dude.” His back straightened immediately, and he pulled his eyes away from his shaggy-haired friend, looking toward the parking lot they were heading to. “And even if I  _ did _ , which I  _ do not _ , it would be heading towards ‘nice guy complex’ territory, which is a mega after-effect of rape culture. We learned that last year at our Philanthropy events, man, you remember.” He clenched his fists, and kept his stare forward, “So I’ll just wait for a sign, I guess. And if she seems like she could possibly be interested, then I’ll consider maybe...possibly,” His voice got quieter, “Letting myself develop feelings for her.” 

He knew that Sven could see right through him, exactly how he’d always been able to. If Kristoff was being honest with himself, he was in complete understanding that he had a  _ tiny _ little thing for Anna. He simply couldn’t get her off of his mind. The way she chattered on about any subject, or tripped over solid ground, or somehow made him feel like he could be completely vulnerable around her. She was brilliant, and gorgeous, and anything that any sane person would dream about. “I respect that.” His friend said, “But if keeping these feelings all bottled up gets to be too much, you know you can tell me about them right?”

“I honestly don’t think they’ll be a problem,” Kristoff lied between his teeth, completely understanding that the little redheaded spitfire haunting his dreams meant trouble by the score, “But thanks anyway, dude. I really appreciate it.” 

They hiked up over the hill reaching the parking lot and over to Kristoff’s Subaru in silence, a companionable understanding between them. Kristoff was well aware that he was lucky to have a friend like Sven, someone to talk to, even about the things he couldn’t even admit to himself about. After they got into the car, and buckled in, Kristoff twisted his key to start the engine, and pulled out of their spot, when Sven decided to speak up again, “Have you texted her yet?”

“No,” Kristoff admitted, “That’s actually why I brought it up in the first place.”

“What?” Sven scoffed, leaning his head against the seat of the car, “Dude, it’s been like four days. You bought her Plan-B. You drove her home. And you haven’t even checked in on her to make sure she’s okay?”

When it was put in such simple terms, it made Kristoff feel lightheaded and embarrassed. He wanted to protest, but he was coming up with nothing. He really should have texted her, but when he messaged Honeymaren to check in, she had said everything was fine. And then Kristoff just got distracted by getting the new pledges ready for their first Philanthropy week, and by his biomedical engineering classes, he kept just putting it off. But he knew that probably wasn’t a good excuse, “I just didn’t know what to say. I don’t want her to feel embarrassed or something, you know?”  
Sven nodded his head in understanding, and tapped his fingers against the door, “Yeah, I get that.” He narrowed his eyes, and turned towards him, “Wait, why don’t you just ask if she wants to come to the lake with us on Friday? I know Ryder already asked Honeymaren, so she probably already knows. It couldn’t do much harm.”

“That’s?” Kristoff chuckled, focusing on the road ahead of them, “That’s actually not a bad idea. Maybe I’ll ask her when we get back.” 

He threw his caution to the wind, and kept to his word, texting her as soon as they reached the apartment. He was both surprised and a little excited at her prompt response, happily accepting his invitation. Even the way she texted was cute. 

_ omg of course!!!!!!!!! that sounds like the BEST THING EVER!! thank you so so much for inviting us :)  _

_ and thank you again for the other day. you’re a much bigger sweetheart than you let on, huh? ;) _

He was elated by her response, and felt his face twist into a grin that he couldn’t get rid of even once throughout the rest of the night. 

***

Being the president of a fraternity was no easy task, but Ryder was lucky to have such great friends to stand by his side, especially when it felt like the world was collapsing down around him. “Okay, so, for Philanthropy week decorations,” He stared down the list on his clipboard and sighed, “Olaf, what are you thinking, man? We don’t have the budget for all of this. And the point is to get our fundraising to the Rape Recovery Center, not into our decorations.”

“Well, what if we were to switch a couple of the projects around?” Olaf scooted over to peer over Ryder’s shoulder, a little too close for comfort. “Like we could do a big game of charades instead of getting the karaoke machine?”

Ryder sighed through his nose, and leaned his head back against his couch, “No, dude, the Karaoke Bid is one of our biggest traditions, and it gets us like half of our proceeds. We’re gonna have to cut the budget somewhere else.” Ryder was always a little annoyed at the VP of Philanthropy, some kid named Ben who never really paid attention to decisions they had to make, and really only held the position as a factor of his popularity. Ryder loved his fraternity, and their philanthropy more than anything in the world. It meant so much to him that they were able to actively talk about consent, and trash the “frat boy” stereotype. 

Olaf hummed next to him, and plucked the clipboard from his hand to take a closer look, “Let’s see,” He scrutinized it, “We’ve got a lot of money put into the ‘Men can do Beta’ t-shirts, maybe we could make some cuts there?” He pulled it closer to his face, “Actually, I’ll be honest, I have no idea. Oh!” His eyes lit up and caught Ryder’s, “Why don’t we ask your sister? She could come over and talk to us about it.” 

“Olaf, you’re brilliant. ‘Maren is so good at figuring this kind of stuff out.” He hollered, and pulled out his phone from his back pocket. “Plus, maybe we’ll see if we can get the scoop on her and Elsa.” He raised his eyebrows with a grin. 

“Wait, do you think Honeymaren and Elsa have-” His eyes widened, “Ohhhh, that makes sense. I was wondering why Anna and Elsa were over all the time. At first, I thought it was because Anna liked Kristoff, but honestly now I think I’m just getting confused.”

“Wait,” Ryder thought out loud, and looked back to his friend quizzically, “You think that- Oh my god, Olaf, you’re a genius.”

“I am?” His friend blinked, before leaning back more casually, “I mean, duh, of course I am, but why the sudden appreciation for it?”

“Dude, Kristoff has never taken a date to formal. What if this is his chance to not look awkward in all of our pictures by himself?” He gestured, waving his arms to the side, “Olaf, I think we’re gonna have to play matchmaker, bro.”

“Oh! Oh, awesome, I love that! Kristoff and Anna would be  _ so  _ cute together in all of the pictures.” Olaf clapped his hands, before pausing, “Wait, but how are we gonna do that?”

He hadn’t been able to think that far ahead, so he leaned back against the couch. If he was going to set his sister and his frat brother up with two different people at the same time, he was going to have to be sneaky about it. Ryder honestly didn’t really know much about romance--after he came out to his sister as being both asexual, he figured it would be something he’d explore once he got out of college. He was definitely  _ romantic,  _ but he had to shove it aside to focus on other things, like his Philanthropy week or the impending formal in two months. Even though he knew his frat brothers would love him no matter what, he simply wasn’t ready to be fully open with them about that part of himself. It was just easier to take Honeymaren to his formals, and have her hang out with him and his closest friends. It was just more fun that way, than forcing himself into a situation he was uncomfortable with.

“What if we just kinda pushed them together on our little lake trip to my cabin?” Olaf asked, scooting a little closer, “Think about it, we could make them ride in the same car, put them together to make drinks or whatever. It would be so easy!”

“That’s a great idea!” Ryder agreed enthusiastically, grateful to have such an awesome best friend who could help him think through any problem, “I think that’s totally doable. Oh! We could do the thing with the rocks in the forest, where he waits for her-”

“Okay, slow down there, cowboy, this is Kristoff we’re talking about,” Olaf said slowly, “We’re gonna have to let him figure a lot of it out, himself. But we can still just shove them together as the day goes on. They clearly both  _ really  _ like each other. Did you see the way they were flirting during the entire  _ Princess Bride _ session? Plus, he’s all she can talk about at work. I think they’ll be able to figure it out on their own for the most part.”

“Cool, cool.” Ryder smiled at his friend, and pulled out his phone. “Okay, but I’m seriously going to call Honeymaren, we need some goddamn  _ help  _ with this budgeting. Will you start the group chat for the lake trip? It’ll just be one night, right?” 

“Yeah, I can definitely do it. Kristoff texted me earlier to let me know Anna and Elsa are down to come,” He pulled out his own phone, “And so that’s you, me, Honeymaren, Kristoff, Elsa, Anna and Sven right? Wow! Our whole gang, this is exciting!” 

“Yeah, dude, it really is.” Ryder couldn’t help but smile, thinking about the little friend group they were forming. He really enjoyed Anna and Elsa, but more importantly, having them around made his sister so unbelievably happy.

He could tell that they were all going to have a lot of fun together. 

***

It was difficult for Elsa to force herself out of her room, but she knew she would have to do it eventually. Her fear, her inability to let Anna in, was the reason she’d allowed her sister to get into this horrific situation in the first place. She knew she would have to put her own fears and feelings to the side, and take care of her sister no matter what, just as she had promised so many years before. Anna needed to be her priority. Not Honeymaren, not her degree, not having  _ fun _ . She needed to protect Anna, regardless of the cost.

She hadn’t slept well in at least a week and a half, since seeing the handprint on her sister’s skin. Honeymaren had spent the night with her that night, waiting patiently on the sofa to ensure that Elsa was alright, but her frequent visits to their apartment were starting to wear on her. She was exhausted of trying to shove her feelings for Honeymaren aside, but she honestly didn’t think she had another choice. She had allowed herself to get distracted, and it wasn’t going to happen again. Anna was the only thing that mattered, and until Elsa could be completely certain she was safe, she wasn’t going to be so easily compromised. 

Honeymaren was starting to notice that Elsa was becoming colder to her, and even though it was killing her, she understood it was for the better that they remained slightly more professional in their engagements. Neither of them could afford to become swept away with their feelings, which were hardly even established, and were nothing in comparison to what either of them felt for Anna. A sister and a best friend needed to be prioritized over lust or longing or  _ whatever  _ they clearly felt for each other. 

It still hurt like a bitch, though. Especially when Elsa would catch Honeymaren’s eyes in a lingering stare, as she retreated back to her room to give her and Anna some privacy. Honeymaren didn’t ask, though, and she knew that they were on the same page. They just needed to be cordial enough to ensure Anna was none-the-wiser of their plans or strategy. That the three of them were simply just friends and cohorts. It was completely draining, pretending that everything was fine, but it was nothing Elsa wasn’t used to. 

“Elsa,  _ please _ ,” Honeymaren had pleaded, sitting against the door, “We just need to talk to her. We need to tell her that we saw the bruising. Maybe we can convince her not to go to his surprise party thing?” 

It broke her heart, but she stayed locked away inside. It was better that way. This entire situation was her fault, for not being a better sister to Anna. Honeymaren shouldn’t be dragged into her family drama. Elsa simply needed her as an informant, and that was it.  _ That had to be it.  _

She would numbly agree to go to the lake with them, glad when Anna had proposed they share a room together, instead of pushing Elsa into Honeymaren’s tempting embrace. She would say she had a headache, and stay inside for most of it, and avoid alcohol at any cost. It would be easy, and she would do what she needed to in order to distract her sister and keep the plan on track. Nothing more. 

She didn’t even bother to close her eyes the night before they went to the lake, scenarios of how Anna was going to explain the situation to Hans running through her head again and again. 

_ Fuck. Him.  _

If murder was legal, Elsa would have disemboweled him long before now, as soon as she started to see the light dimming in her sister’s eyes. She didn’t want to hurt her relationship with Anna, and she felt like a fool for thinking that fixing this situation would be simple. She loved her sister more than anything in the world, and she wasn’t sure what she would do if anything were to happen to her. She wanted to call the police, but she didn’t want Anna to hate her. It just meant that she needed to wait long enough for Anna to be honest with her about what had been going on. 

_ Conceal, don’t feel. Put on a show. _

And she did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao LOTS OF DIALOGUE IN THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!! thank u for bearing w/ me, there's SO MUCH BUILDUP IN THIS ONE!!! but the next chap should be a little lighter ;) 
> 
> AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND COMMENTS THEY SERIOUSLY MAKE ME SO HAPPY!!! y'all are the best, thanks for reading this chapter :)


	7. Baywatch

Honeymaren sat rigidly in the passenger seat, watching Elsa’s nimble hand twist the key in the ignition, instantly revving up her car. It was strange to think that this was only the third time she’d been in Elsa’s car, and that each time had felt so entirely different. The first time, as she recalled, was an embarrassingly drunk encounter, where the resplendent woman had been entirely imposing and out of reach. Honeymaren thought she would never be able to get over the embarrassment of seeming so foolish in front of such a gorgeous, smart and calculating person. Elsa had been so gentle and patient with her, guiding her up the steps of the DG house, and even beared through her disgust as Honeymaren had retched onto the sidewalk like an idiot. 

The second time felt almost magical, after their little encounter in the apartment. They had spoken for hours, and were arriving to the movie night  _ together _ . Elsa had trusted her to choose the song they listened to and to be vulnerable around Honeymaren, sharing parts of herself that she would have never expected her to. She was even less intimidating, especially the way her eyes looked, wide and locked on the screen as the  _ Princess Bride _ progressed. Honeymaren had barely paid attention at all, focusing firmly on the way their soft legs brushed together, or the feeling of Elsa’s pale arm resting against her own. Even though Honeymaren knew they weren’t necessarily ever going to date, she had thought that they had at least formed a true friendship. 

She should have known better. Anna had always told Honeymaren that Elsa had demons, and she was especially difficult to get through to when she was feeling guilty. She hadn’t come out of her room the morning after Anna left with Hans, no matter how many times Honeymaren tried to plead her. And when she finally did come out, it was like she was an entirely different person than the breezy, enthusiastic, and hopeful woman Honeymaren had found herself completely falling for. She was cold and stoic, hardly even making time for Honeymaren, and rarely answering her texts. 

She wasn’t sure why Elsa volunteered her car to Honeymaren, Olaf and Ryder, especially if she wasn’t even going to make a slight effort to start a conversation. Even when they began to drive to the lake, with Ryder and Olaf chatting absentmindedly about their upcoming Philanthropy week in the background, Elsa had kept her eyes glued firmly to the road, not even risking a glance at anyone else. Unfortunately for Honeymaren, her place in the passenger seat gave her a complete view of the radiant woman, and she was completely unable to tear her eyes away. 

Even in a tank top and shorts, with her hair twisted casually into a messy braid, Elsa still looked like she could control the elements with so much as a glance. She was terrifying, and beautiful and Honeymaren was sure the sweet, goofy side of her was still somewhere in there. It was practically killing her, how much she missed even the brief friendship they’d had. Elsa was clearly so full of pain and resentment, and even though Honeymaren wished more than anything that she could take it away, she knew that guilt wasn’t an easy thing to fix. She was going to have to work hard to earn Elsa’s trust, to help her heal enough to actively help Anna. 

As they moved onto the highway, Honeymaren forced her stare away, making passive conversation with her brother and his roommate in the back seat. It wasn’t going to be a long drive, a half hour at most, to get to Olaf’s family lakeshore cabin to spend the rest of the day and night. It was already feeling like an eternity, though, to see Elsa suffer the way that she was. Honeymaren wanted to help her, but knew that it was something Elsa would have to go through on her own. The most she could do was simply sit beside her, and pretend like her isolation wasn’t tearing Honeymaren apart. 

She couldn’t stop thinking about what Anna had said about Hans’ threat to Elsa. It was clearly a manipulation tactic, but Honeymaren couldn’t see what his goal could possibly be. Everytime she tried to sort the puzzle pieces, they would not fit together to make any logical decision. He did not want her to have friends, but he was comfortable inviting a “stupid sorority girl” to whatever event he was planning as a surprise for Anna. He was comfortable with her going to the lake, unless Anna had decided not to tell him, but not going to a movie night. He thought Elsa was far too intelligent to encourage Anna to spend time with, but ignorant and vulnerable enough for him to threaten. It just didn’t make sense. 

Honeymaren was going to have to start sleuthing on her own, and she knew it. If Elsa was aware that Hans had threatened her, there was no doubt in Honeymaren’s mind that she would easily sacrifice herself for the safety of her sister, in hopes that Anna would be forced to get to safety. And Honeymaren couldn’t let Elsa do something careless. She was going to have to protect both of them, even if it was something she wasn’t sure she could do alone.

The one powerful element that she had, was that clearly she was underestimated by almost everyone involved. Elsa clearly didn’t think either of them would be able to help Anna, and had entirely retreated into her room in defeat. Anna was fairly naive on her own, convinced that everything would work out in the end, and that Elsa and Honeymaren were completely supportive of her relationship with Hans, so her delusion would (hopefully) keep her out of the way. Finally, Hans clearly underestimated Honeymaren, directly telling Anna that he thought she was “vapid and spoiled”, which allowed her to get closer to the situation than Elsa ever could, without giving herself away or getting hurt, or worse. 

The only difficult aspect of her situation was that she would have to play her cards carefully in order to not tell anyone, or even hint, that she would be planning  _ Operation: Breakup  _ on terms separate from Elsa, in order to keep her safe. That meant that while coaxing Elsa out of her isolation, she was going to have to avoid telling her specific information in regards to Hans and Anna. Honeymaren didn’t like withholding information in general, and it made her almost sick to her stomach to lie to Elsa. She wasn’t sure when it had happened, but it was clear that she was falling for the mysterious, brilliant blonde, and she was going to have to protect her, or she would never forgive herself.

Soon enough, Honeymaren could see the glimmer of the sun’s reflection on the lake in the distance. Olaf and Ryder switched their conversation topic to tanning, drinking games and music. “I love the summer,” Olaf sighed with contentment from the back seat “I’m always so sad when it’s over. I mean, I love autumn and winter and spring too, but summer is simply the  _ best _ . Especially at the lake! You guys are gonna love it. This is your first time there, right ‘Mare?”

“Yeah,” She tried to keep her voice light and airy, “I can’t believe bringing two gorgeous women into your house was the ticket to getting an invite after all these years.” Finally, that earned her a look from startled blue eyes, and a slight twinge of pink dusting the driver’s cheeks. Honeymaren grinned satisfactorily, and turned her gaze back to the lake.  _ Good to know compliments get her attention, even when she’s being so fucking difficult. She’s just like Anna. _

The cabin on the lake was big enough to easily fit everyone, and looked incredibly cozy on the outside. By the time they pulled down into the driveway of the house, Kristoff’s Subaru was already waiting for them with the windows rolled down and loud, embarrassing rap Anna and Kristoff were  _ certainly _ too white to be listening to, blaring out of the windows. “I got five on it!” She could hear them all calling out from the Subaru, pointing at Elsa’s car and dancing like idiots. Honeymaren couldn’t help but laugh as Elsa pulled to a stop and turned the engine off. 

Honeymaren tugged her seatbelt off, and swung open the car door to bop over to Anna, swinging her hips jokingly before giving her a hug. Anna bounced up and down in the embrace, and pulled away to greet Olaf and her sister. Honeymaren couldn’t help but notice the way Kristoff stepped out of his car, his eyes not leaving Anna for a second as he nervously raked a hand through his hair.  _ That was going to be a problem _ .

She turned to head back to Elsa’s car and grabbed her overnight bag, before traipsing over to the front door of the cabin where Olaf was fiddling with his keys to open the door. She teased him about being a dork, and then ruffled his hair before they entered the cabin together. It was easily the coziest place she’d ever been, with a lovely kitchen and a fireplace, with soft sofas and blankets and ceiling to floor windows, with sliding doors that opened up to an enormous patio with a fire pit and a view of the glistening lake. She took a moment to head out onto it, sighing at the beauty of the massive amount of water. There was something about water that always made Honeymaren feel safer. She preferred rivers, but she also loved lakes and oceans and ponds, and swimming overall. It soothed her, and made her feel more calm. Like she would be able to do anything she set her mind to.

She could hear the boys entering the house in a ruckus, shouting and jeering at each other, laughing so hard she could almost feel the ground beneath her quake. A soft breeze caressed her face, making her lean into the feeling, when she heard her brother beside her. “Hey, ‘Maren. Is everything okay?” He asked, void of his usual joking cantor. 

She shrugged, knowing he could see through her--twin vision, as he called it--and said, “Yeah, I think so. I’m just enjoying the view. Why?” She turned to look at him, and was surprised by how his brow was knit together with concern.

“Just seems like something’s off with Elsa, and I figured you might know what’s up. Did you two have a fight or something?” The concern laced within his voice made it clear to Honeymaren that it wasn’t just Anna who could see right through her. She wondered, briefly, how long her brother had known about her feelings for Elsa, but decided it was probably inappropriate to get giddy about right at that moment. 

“Not exactly,” She admitted, feeling suddenly out of breath. She hadn’t even really admitted it to herself yet, and the pain she was enduring was too difficult to fully explain. She knew she shouldn’t feel so desperate for Elsa after only knowing her for a short period of time, but also knew she couldn’t exactly  _ help  _ herself. The fact that she was drawn to Elsa was undeniable. “She’s just been in a funk recently. I’m sure she’s okay, though.”

“Okay,” Ryder raised his eyebrows, but shifted his body to turn fully toward the lake, “I guess she’s feeling kinda sick, and she’s just taking a break in her and Anna’s room. Should we maybe go check on her? Or-” “I can do it,” Honeymaren interrupted him, knowing instantly what he was hinting at. Ryder, while being rambunctious and carefree, was always cautious about overstepping when it came to acquaintances. With friends and sisters, he was absolutely willing to step fully into any situation, completely disregarding any form of boundary, but it would make sense that it didn’t exactly apply to Elsa, who he hardly knew. She offered her brother a smile, “Thanks for letting me know.”

“Yeah! Of course,” He smiled back at her, “Plus, now you guys can have some privacy before we start really taking up your time. I can keep Anna distracted for a little while, if you guys need like thirty to forty minutes to  _ relax a little _ .”

“ _ Okay _ ,” Honeymaren laughed, giving him a soft punch in the arm, “Hold your horses there, cowboy. Clearly, she’s gorgeous and smart and awesome, but she’s just my friend.”

“For now.” Ryder argued, sending her a little wink, “I’ve seen the way she looks at you, ‘Maren. She looks like she’s so damn thirsty for y-”

“And hopefully ‘for now’ will end sooner rather than later, but hey,” She cut him off, turning around to walk back into the cabin, “Who knows?”

She could still hear him laughing to himself as she made her way back into the cabin, where she found Sven, Olaf, Anna and Kristoff joking around in the kitchen as they unpacked the cooler. She said a quick hello to them and walked up the stairs to find herself in a hallway where every door was open, except for one.  _ Bingo _ . She walked down the hallway, and quickly reviewed how she was going to approach this. Elsa didn’t know her very well at all, and it was clear that while she trusted her, there was something going on that Honeymaren didn’t know about. She knew that Elsa probably felt guilty and horrible about the way Hans was treating her sister, but Honeymaren wasn’t sure why she would treat  _ her  _ any differently than she had before. If anything, it should have brought them closer together so they could work tirelessly to help Anna move past her trauma, and past him. 

She knocked on the door three times, and in a soft voice called out, “Elsa?” Silence met her from the other side of the door, and she waited another moment, before saying, “Elsa, I know you’re in there. Can I come in?” She heard a rustling of sheets, but aside from that, she was met with an even icier silence. Being a truly stubborn person, Honeymaren ignored the pang of hurt in her chest, and pressed a little further, “Okay, I guess I’ll just hang out here then.” She pressed her back up against the wall, and folded her arms across her chest.

“Listen,” She continued, her eyes fluttering downward, “I know this is all really hard for you. But if you don’t come out, you’re going to just shove Anna away again by accident. She needs you to act normally here, so she doesn’t suspect that you know something you aren’t telling her. It’ll just create more problems.” She sucked in a breath, not realizing how much she’d been talking and waited. Elsa still didn’t respond, so she blew the air out, and kept talking, “If you need space or something, I’ll give you space as soon as this is over. But I know she means way too much to you, and  _ way _ too much to me for us to give up now. Especially when she’s finally started being honest about him.”

To be completely fair, Anna had started to be a little more honest about Hans since the movie night. She’d even gone so far as to admit that he was too harsh when grading her poems, and that she didn’t feel like his poems were very much better than her own. Even though it was small, she had brought it up on her own without either Elsa or Honeymaren coaching her. It was enormous progress, and even Elsa would have to admit that. “Elsa, you know we need each other. Neither of us can help her alone. And if we want this dynamic to work, you’re going to at least have to pretend to like me, just so she isn’t suspicious.” She felt her own heart break as she said it, and even though she could feel tears start to well up in her eyes, she forced them away. 

Honeymaren practically jumped out of her shoes when the door swung open, the tall, terrifying angel standing in the doorway in a navy colored, one piece swimsuit with a plunging neckline that almost became distracing. Honeymaren quickly wiped her eyes, and stood firmly, her eyes locking with the blue ones filled with a new sort of determination that Honeymaren hadn’t seen before. “Don’t be stupid,” The words were shot like arrows into Honeymaren, the familiar alto of Elsa’s voice sending her head swimming.  _ How was she so intimidating, even in a swimsuit? What kind of Margot Robbie bullshit-  _ “The only person I’m  _ pretending _ to like is that sick fucking bastard who hurt her.”

And with that, Elsa was striding down the hallway, her pale bare feet barely touching the floor. Honeymaren stood blinking, stupidly as she stared at the long, porcelain legs leading up to her gorgeous, swinging hips, and a muscular back with shoulder blades that made her almost drool. She was so confused and terrified by this regal, glamorous person, who somehow made her both weak, but stronger than she had ever been before. 

With a whip of her braid, Elsa was locking eyes with her again, turning Honeymaren to stone, “Well, are you coming?” 

Honeymaren nodded with a satisfied grin, and jogged down the hallway to catch up with her, grateful that she had just worn her bikini under her t-shirt and shorts, so she didn’t have to excuse herself to change. 

She was going to do this safely, cautiously and perfectly. Even if she had to withhold information; even if she had to turn her emotions off. She was going to protect both Anna and Elsa, regardless of what it might cost her. 

***

The water was freezing against Kristoff’s skin, and he shivered as he waded precariously into the lake, his feet slipping lightly against the pebbles beneath the waves. He focused on maintaining his balance as he called out to his friends, who were already waist deep in the water, passing a ball back and forth. “Holy motherfucking shitting  _ hell _ this water is freezing!” He grabbed his arms and rubbed them.

“Goodness, Bjorgman, do you kiss your mother with that mouth?” Ryder called back, splashing some water loosely in his direction. Kristoff rolled his eyes, and gave up on walking, deciding that paddling over would be quicker. He flopped his body onto the icy water, and kicked his way over to meet his friends. Once he was fairly certain he’d reached them, he found his balance back on his legs, and shook his hair so it wouldn’t drip onto his face. He then raked a hand through it, in a poor attempt at making it seem more kempt. 

He blinked his eyes open, until he could see Sven, “Oh shit, what are you on,  _ Baywatch _ ? Zac Efron better look out.” His friend teased, wading through the water to give him a swift pat on the shoulder.

Kristoff bumped his shoulder into his friend, sending the slightly more petite man crashing into the water. Sven bounced up out of the lake almost immediately, sputtering as his three friends laughed at him, and immediately shot Kristoff an annoyed glance which he playfully reciprocated. 

“Where’s Anna?” He asked, turning to his other Beta brothers. 

“Why? You sad she missed out on your  _ Baywatch  _ moment?” Olaf threw the ball at him, which he instantly caught with a glare. “Or do you also want to know where Honeymaren and Elsa are?”

“Well,  _ obviously  _ I want to know where they are too. I just thought they were having like, y’know, some privacy.” He paused, a little confused, and turned to Ryder. The two women were generally seen together, from what he had gathered, rarely leaving each other’s sides. “They  _ are _ dating, right?” 

Ryder shook his head, a little defeated, “Dude, honestly it’s a matter of time at this point.” Kristoff chuckled and tossed the ball back to his friend. He knew Honeymaren pretty well, and he also knew she had a tendency to blow through girlfriends. She didn’t mean to be a player from what he could tell, but she had already dated half of the lesbian, bisexual and pansexual girls on Greek Row. It was a surprising character trait, considering how down to earth and sweet she was, but it always created interesting dynamics Kristoff never got sick of watching.

“That’s fair.” Kristoff decided, knowing Ryder was always annoyed by his twin’s antics. 

Sven grinned and pointed out behind him, “Speak of the devil, right?” Kristoff turned to look over his shoulder, the sun glaring in his eyes as he could barely make out three different women running from the patio down the steps to the water. He could see Olaf waving to the girls in his periphery, but as a cloud moved over the sun, he felt his breath catch in his throat. 

He was doing his little damndest to keep his feelings for Anna in check. She hadn’t given him any sign that she could possibly find him even remotely attractive, but he was finding it easier to talk to her. He loved the way she snorted when she laughed, or tucked her hair behind her ear when she was embarrassed. He realized he would look directly at her to see if she laughed when he made a joke, and the world seemed a little bit brighter when she was around. Sven, who was normally an extremely talkative person, hardly got a word in edgewise the entire ride up. 

She talked about her writing, her favorite TV shows (of course she could quote  _ New Girl _ directly, what else could he expect?), the fact that she took ballet and gymnastics when she was little. She said she was terrible at ice skating, but Elsa took a shine to it when they were younger. She liked birds and romantic comedies, and could quote  _ Pulp Fiction  _ better than he could, and it was one of his favorite movies of all time. 

She was beyond brave, and barely had a single bad thing to say about anyone or anything in general. She listened to him too--and made him admit things he wouldn’t normally tell a new friend, like his nerdy outlook on biomedical engineering, or his love for all things 1980s and every type of animal. Even this early into their friendship, he was realizing he could be completely himself around her, just like any of his friends. Anna was the type of person that Kristoff could imagine himself being truly interested in. 

Not to mention, she was arguably the most beautiful person Kristoff had ever seen. As he caught a glimpse of her, he found himself completely taken aback. She was simply radiant, the light blue of her bikini made her skin look almost luminous. He wasn’t about to objectify her, but her body was simply breathtaking. She looked like some sort of fucking  _ Disney Princess _ all the time, and as she stumbled her way over to where they were wading, he felt his spirits immediately lighten.

“Wow, this water is so cold!” She exclaimed, laughing as she folded her arms over her chest. Kristoff couldn’t help himself but admire the dusting of freckles on her shoulders and across her chest, even for the briefest of moments. 

Honeymaren quickly caught up with her, her teeth chattering, “We’ll get used to it in a second-”

Elsa stood above both of them, inspecting one of her short-clipped, polished nails, “It’s not too bad,” She almost lamented, “But I could help you get more accustomed to the feeling of it, if you’d like?” 

Honeymaren looked incredibly caught off guard, “Wait, what? What’s that supposed to m-” But before she could finish, Elsa placed a firm hand on her shoulder and sent her gasping into the water, a proud little grin on her face. 

Honeymaren popped up, shivering and sputtering, her drenched hair splayed wildly over her. Kristoff couldn’t help but laugh, as Sven muttered a little “oh shit” from his side. 

Honeymaren threw her hair back and scoffed at Elsa again, who remained completely stoic in front of her. “ _ Elsa _ ,” She shook her head, a sardonic little laugh escaping her, “Bitch, I think you forgot who the waterbender is here.”

She did an awkward little spin, before shoving even  _ more _ water at the taller woman, who retaliated in kind. Anna giggled desperately reaching her arms up to block the splashes, and waded over to Kristoff, her shoulders almost reaching the water from where she crouched. “What’s up, Hunkules? Get it? It’s like the Muse in  _ Hercules  _ being like ‘Oh honey, I think you mean  _ HUNKULES!’  _ The joke is that you’re ginormous and muscular, and probably break a lot of stuff on accident.”

“Still not catching on.” He folded his arms, and glanced down at her, his heart doing a tiny flip at the brightness of her smile. “You can’t just  _ force _ a nickname, that’s definitely not how it works. Sorry,  _ feistypants. _ ”

“Dammit, you’re right. Yours is still way better than mine.” She hummed, “I’m gonna get you back at some point though, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” 

He was going to tell her that he planned on holding her to that promise, but she was immediately distracted by Sven tossing her the ball. She missed it, and slipped into the water in the endearing, clumsy disposition she generally displayed. Kristoff almost reached out to her, but thought better of it, pulling his outstretched hand back to his side, and watching her red hair bob up from the water. It was ridiculous how gorgeous she looked, even with her hair wet, and her beautiful face pink from adrenaline and the cold temperature of the water. He decided to snag the ball instead, handing it to her gracefully to toss back to one of the other people in their newly formed friend group. 

The day continued forward without a hitch, and Kristoff was surprised by how suave he remained, continuously avoiding seeming like a complete dickhead around her (like he had in the past). There was even a moment, where Olaf scurried to the garage of his cabin, only to produce a few paddle boards, that he brought out to them. 

Kristoff was surprisingly good at paddleboarding, and was able to stand on the small board, completely balanced, and make his way around the lake until he reached the buoys, and then paddled back to the safety of the shore. Of course, Anna immediately wanted to show him up, but also refused the life jacket in case she was able to get a “Cute Instagram update!” while aboard. Elsa had protested, making sure everyone knew how Anna had a severe inability to balance well. 

Kristoff had laughed, and took Anna’s phone, promising that he would both capture the picture and bring her back to shore if she were to fall. Elsa begrudgingly agreed, and Kristoff didn’t miss the sight of his Beta brothers glancing at each other as he swam out further into the water with Anna, until she decided to make her way onto the boat. 

She had difficulty getting on at first, slipping over the side and flopping into the watery depths below her with a splash. She did this same thing a few more times, with Kristoff laughing so hard there were tears flowing from his eyes, until he finally told her he would stabilize the boat so she could get on it. She’d rolled her eyes, sure it wasn’t going to help. When it did, she beamed at him, and maneuvered herself over her knees and stood up halfway, before falling into the water again. 

She bobbed up swiftly after, sputtering and choking on the lake water as Kristoff laughed even louder, “Alright, Anna, let’s try it  _ one _ more time. We are going to get this Instagram picture, okay?”

“Okay,” She laughed, grabbing the side of the paddleboard to float more easily, “But you getter get a good angle, or else I’m going to hate you forever.”

A small part of him wanted to tell her that she couldn’t  _ possibly  _ have a bad angle, at least from what he’d seen of her so far, but he was sure it was undoubtedly super creepy to think, and decided not to say so. He held the board steady, and watched as she got on, an incredibly impressive determination rattling through her small figure. She shook like a newborn foal as she stood, trying to maintain her balance. “You ready?” He called out to her, swimming a little further away.

“Ready as I’ll ever be!” She called out, obviously tightening her abs, and thrusting the paddle into the water in a mighty stance. “See? I told you! I got this.” She looked silly for sure, but still incredibly beautiful to Kristoff, so he swiped open her phone and snapped a couple shots, before realizing that her legs were shaking against the board. 

His eyes widened, and he immediately swam towards her as she started wobbling, “Whoa, oh  _ shit!  _ Kristoff, I don’t got this _! _ ” She murmured to herself, squeezing her eyes shut as she desperately attempted to maintain her balance. She waved her arms, and her enormous blue eyes caught his, “Quick! Catch me!” She cried, before launching herself off of the moving paddleboard. 

He moved instinctively, relying on his adrenaline alone to swim forward and stretch his arms outward. Her body landed in them with a  _ smack _ of water and a rough splash into his face. He shook his hair, and blinked open his eyes, to see her, smiling in his arms. Even in the water, where he could barely feel the goosebumps on her skin, and only momentarily see a warm, inviting light in her eyes, something about holding Anna felt right to him. He’d held other women before, but it never felt like this, where every nerve inside of him lit on fire at the exact same time. He had never felt his instincts jump so quickly into place, than when they did to ensure her safety and comfort. 

He wanted to bring her head to his chest and promise her he would do anything for her, that he would be there for her as both a friend and a protector. To make sure no other jackass made her buy her own Plan-B pill, or make her feel anything less than the most funny, brilliant and charming woman on earth. He opened his mouth to say something, desperate for any sign that she could possibly feel what he had felt as he held her tightly to his chest. 

Instead, she interrupted him, “Wow, that was like some sorta crazy trust exercise!” She exclaimed, before wriggling out of his grasp, and swimming away from him, “ _ Wild _ !” She continued, paddling her way back to shore.

Kristoff wasn’t sure how long he gripped the paddleboard, his legs still propelling him above the surface. He was sure he probably had some dopey expression on his face, some sort of smile that immediately gave him away. But more than anything, he immediately missed having her close to him, looking into her gorgeous eyes, framed perfectly by a dusting of freckles and light, strawberry blonde lashes. Subconsciously, he wanted to memorize that moment--memorize the first time she was able to trust him, with not only her Instagram post, but her life and her body. He wanted to be worthy of her trust. 

Which meant, he needed to continue to be respectful. But he could at least  _ try _ flirting with her, right? So long as he didn’t make her uncomfortable, there was nothing wrong with that.

So, he swam back to shore, holding her phone safely up above his head, and smiled as his friends beckoned him, the small redhead waving her hand high above her head. It felt like home to him.

***

Elsa looked at herself in the mirror and gripped the sink, trying her best to control her emotions. Honeymaren, as much as it pained her to admit, was completely right. If they were going to set their plans into action, Anna would need them to be in a normal place so she could have something stable to fall back on. The breakup, and the inevitable trauma that would surface afterwards, was going to be no easy feat for her, and Elsa would have to set aside her own feelings in order to be the strong, independent rock that her sister would need. 

She could admire Honeymaren, the way she laughed and brought out the best in everyone around her. She could even be attracted to her, and the way her soft, curvy body moved, her thick, delicious thighs squeezing together when she walked. It didn’t mean Elsa would let herself get distracted, but she would have to accept these truths about Honeymaren in order to keep focused. And she needed Honeymaren’s help and guidance--she was clearly too emotionally weak to handle the weight of the guilt on her own. She had to stay strong, and ensure that she didn’t make a single wrong move, or everyone would be able to see right through her. 

It was days like this where she wished she had never existed in the first place. She longed to simply run away from everything; from every rule, from every mistake, and from every promise she wasn’t able to keep. She could run up the mountain and stay there in her solitude, finally being able to be free and  _ herself _ , where she couldn’t hurt anyone ever again. At the same time, she selfishly craved the love and adoration of others. Especially from her sister and Honeymaren. She couldn’t let them go that easily. She had to protect them.

She splashed some water onto her face, and made her way out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her waist. “Feeling better?” A voice called out from the direction of the kitchen, immediately catching her attention. She turned to face Honeymaren, who was wearing an oversized t-shirt, her wet hair tied back into a loose bun on top of her head. She had  _ so  _ much hair--Elsa had never noticed it before, because she’d always had it in up-does, but when she had shook it out in the lake, she noticed how it seemed to reach her lower back, all soft, shiny and thick. 

“I mean, I’ve been better. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t having a good time,” She replied honestly. There was a part of her that wanted to move closer to Honeymaren and into the kitchen, but a larger part of her that screamed to stay in place. 

“Hey, I’m pretty stubborn, so.” Honeymaren’s smile was understanding, as she turned back to the fridge to grab ingredients for homemade pizza. She was nimble, in her own way, gracefully milling about the small kitchen as she pulled out packets of cheese, store-bought crust, and jars of marinara sauce. “You wanna come help me with this?”

Elsa sucked in a breath as Honeymaren caught her eye again, and felt like she was suddenly asking for a lot more than some help with dinner. “Of course.” She agreed, unable to truly help herself.  _ It was just dinner. Nothing more than that.  _

“Great!” Honeymaren exclaimed, as Elsa made her way toward her, a little timid. There was something about the notion of making dinner together that felt intimate, even though they weren’t exactly alone in the cabin. “Okay, will you start spreading the sauce? I’m gonna get started on the salad and get the stuff for the s’mores out.” 

“We’re having s’mores?” She knew her eyes lit up immediately at the thought of dessert, which Honeymaren definitely laughed at. “I don’t think I’ve had one of those since I was in middle school.”

“Seriously? Well, damn. If I knew  _ that  _ would catch your attention, I would’ve bribed you with them sooner.” Honeymaren joked, but Elsa felt her stomach churn with pain. She knew she should’ve been more honest with Honeymaren, instead of pushing her away. She just didn’t want to hurt anyone else, especially after the way she’d neglected to help her sister. She ignored the pain, and focused on opening up the plastic from the dough. 

“What can I say? I’d do just about anything for chocolate,” She responded stoically, opening a cupboard she’d assumed would have pans in it. When it didn’t, she opened the one next to it, smiling as she retrieved two large ones to bake the pizzas on. She placed them on the counter, and worked to place the dough on it.

She paused, however, when Honeymaren quietly quipped, “Title of your sex tape.” Making a small, embarrassed laugh bubble up from her own chest. She had willed the heat from her cheeks away, hoping it might come off more as a sunburn. She wasn’t sure how to respond to it, worried that she would either give her undeniable attraction away, or say something rash and hurtful. She worked in silence for a minute, scooping out little spoonfuls of the marinara sauce and spreading them onto the pizza, as her sister’s best friend worked beside her. 

After a moment of surprisingly comfortable silence, Honeymaren spoke up again. “She seems more like herself today, don’t you think?” Her voice filled with hope that felt like a sunny autumn day. It broke Elsa’s heart to respond honestly, but she wasn’t sure if she could allow either of them to live in delusion any longer.

“I think,” She began, turning slightly to face the shorter, dark-haired vixen. “There are probably good days and bad days. It’s probably healthy to give her brain a rest for today, where she can focus on being silly with people her own age, and not think too much about what’s waiting for her at home.” She felt her voice catch in her throat, tears threatening to start pouring out again. She didn’t want to think about going back, but she knew that their plan had to be set into motion as quickly as possible. 

Honeymaren nodded slowly, and turned her attention back to the salad she was fixing. “I think it’s probably good for her to expand her social circle. To know that there are going to be people who love her in a healthy way, even if she has to go away from him. That she isn’t alone.” 

Elsa could feel herself shaking. It was hard to admit that someone she loved and cared about so deeply could be struggling as much as she was. She knew that Honeymaren was right, and that she had been right. Elsa, in that moment, knew what she had to do. She closed her eyes tightly, and was surprised at how small her voice sounded, “Honeymaren,” Her name felt wrong against her tongue, like she didn’t even deserve to say it, “I’m sorry.” She admitted, gripping the counter lightly. 

Suddenly, a soft hand was resting warm against her shoulder blade, sending a shot of electricity down her spine. “Don’t be. I can’t even imagine how hard all of this must be for you,” Her companion soothed, rubbing little circles against her with her thumb. Just like she’d done when Elsa had fallen apart when she first noticed the bruising. She couldn’t help but lean into the touch, her body craving more of it, even while her mind screamed at her.

The unending kindness and selflessness that Honeymaren displayed was so shocking to Elsa, that it almost brought her to tears. Even after she had completely distanced herself, fallen apart and isolated herself away from her, Honeymaren never stopped trying. And she still forgave her, understanding that Elsa hadn’t meant to hurt her. She wanted to spin her around and kiss her deeply, pressing her into the counter. She wanted to hold her close, and show her how much that forgiveness meant to her. To say everything she wasn’t able to say with words alone. 

But Anna still needed to be her priority. Everything else could wait until Elsa knew she was safe. So, she said what she could. “Thank you for being so understanding.” Her voice was hoarse, and probably exhausted. “I think we’re going to be able to do this. I just need to be more honest and open with you, and I’m sorry that I haven’t been.”

“Elsa, it’s seriously alright.” Honeymaren’s voice sounded strained, like there was emotion she couldn’t quite convey on her own either. She pulled her hand away, making Elsa ache to feel her touch again. “But, if I’m being honest, I think you’re right. I think we might need to be faster and smarter about this. I think we might need to stage an intervention within the next week.”

Elsa nodded, knowing that while an intervention wasn’t the most effective way to go about it, it would be a quicker solution than waiting. Especially when the situation was a lot more dire than she had anticipated, “We need to at least tell her to drop his course, and then we’ll be able to go from there. He wants her to drop it anyway, so it’ll at least soften him up enough to hopefully be kinder to her for a while.” 

“I think you’re absolutely right.” Honeymaren’s eyes lit up, “So that way, we can plan a longer, ongoing strategy to pressure her into breaking up with him, without being as worried, right?”

“I’m not sure,” Elsa turned her eyes back down to the packets of cheese, and opened one to keep her restless hands busy, “If he’s the type of person that would-” Her breath caught in her throat again. She couldn’t say it outright, it hurt too much to admit how abused, manipulated and groomed her sister was out loud. “Do that to her, I don’t think we should expect him to act like a logical person. But I think playing into  _ his  _ strategy will at least make him think Anna’s further in his clutches, when in reality, she’s being pulled further away from him.”

“Okay, so then that’s what we’ll do.” Honeymaren smiled at her reassuringly, “Elsa, I promise, I’m not going to let anything else happen to Anna. We can handle this together, okay?”

There was something about the way she said ‘together’ that would make even the most frozen of hearts melt. Elsa knew she couldn’t kiss her, or hold her the way that she longed to. She couldn’t tell her how much her kindness meant to her, or be honest about how truly terrified she was to lose her sister any more than she already had. She could only trust Honeymaren, that she would be there to help in any way she could. And to Elsa, that trust and honesty meant more than anything she had received in her lifetime. This was beyond infatuation or attraction.

She was falling in love with Honeymaren, and it was getting increasingly difficult to ignore. 

***

As she sat by the fire, surrounded by her new friends, belly full of pizza and wine, Anna realized that she couldn’t remember the last time she felt completely and utterly free and happy. She loved the way the Betas joked around with each other, making playful little quips at both each other and her. The warmth of the fire felt delightful on her skin, her hair still wet from her third dip in the lake. It made her even happier to hear her sister laughing beside her, chatting fervently with everyone, and being a version of herself Anna had only seen during their impromptu dance parties. 

It was clear to Anna that the biggest key to Elsa’s new-found confidence was Honeymaren, and they kept sneaking little glances at each other as the night went on, hardly able to pay attention to anything else. They would be intensely cute together, and it was clear to Anna that they could be what the other person needed. Honeymaren needed someone to keep her feet glued to the floor, and Elsa needed someone who would stand beside her no matter what. It would take time, but Anna was rooting for them, and she was definitely going to bug Elsa about it as soon as they had a moment alone. She’d never seen her sister this open and unrestricted before. For the first time in forever, it seemed like she and Elsa could be both friends and sisters, and open up the gates that had been shielding them their whole lives. 

Although Anna still felt like an imposter, as a twinge of guilt pounded in her heart. She was untrustworthy and disingenuine and didn’t deserve the selfless, adoring and wonderful friendships the boys were offering her. They were being so honest and kind to her, making sure that she was happy and taken care of no matter what--Olaf had basically had a full-blown panic attack the second he noticed the slightest hint of a sunburn on her face--but she couldn’t even tell them that she was in a relationship without blowing her cover. She wanted to show herself to them, but she knew that she couldn’t. She was a terrible, horrible person, and she was clearly taking advantage of their kindness. 

She stared at the fire, feeling the light of it burn through her eyes, and imagined what it might be like if Hans knew that she was lying to both him and these boys. He had been so against her making friends in a Fraternity. He was so worried about her, telling her that they only wanted one thing from her. But when she lifted her eyes from the fire, and they met Kristoff’s honey brown ones, a genuine smile plastered on his face, she was starting to think that it was possible for Hans to be wrong. “You want a s’more?” He asked, and she almost laughed out loud at the simplicity of the offer. Kristoff was able to somehow make everything seem straightforward and transparent. 

Whether Anna liked to admit it or not, her Instagram presence meant a lot to her. She loved posting pictures of herself, and receiving comments from her sorority sisters and family that completely boosted her self-confidence. Kristoff had agreed to take her picture without missing a beat, and had worked hard to get a good angle of her. He hadn’t chastised her or belittled her for being vain, and he checked in to make sure she’d posted it afterwards. He’d even made fun of her for not accepting his follow request, and was easily the first person to “like” it. He was supportive, selfless, and kind. 

_ I would never let my friend pay for her own Plan-B pill, or walk home by herself at six in the morning. _

Kristoff was completely uncomplicated and uninhibited. He was respectful, and kind, and he never even laid a finger on her, even when she had given him a hug that morning. She understood why Hans might think that Frat boys could be terrifying monsters, but her friends were clearly different. They only wanted to get to know her so that they could be friends and have fun together. She was really starting to love Sven and Ryder too--and she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt every time she realized she was lying to them.

Because Anna  _ was _ complicated. She was in a serious, secret relationship with a man who was both her superior and mentor. And while he loved her, it was in a more complicated way than any of these boys could understand. It forced her into maturity, showcasing that love is something with more layers than she had ever realized as a little girl. She wasn’t sure she could make her love for Hans uncomplicated, even if she desperately wanted to. It was a sacrifice she could make for him. And that meant she had to keep pretending.

“Yes please!” She called back over to him, realizing she didn’t have to force her face to reflect his smile. There was something about him that made her smile constantly when he was around, even when she knew she didn’t deserve his friendship or kindness. She was a liar and a fraud. 

Sven shot her a look of pity, and for a split second she was worried that he had figured her out.  _ Had he seen her phone? Did he see a bruise?  _ She thought she’d covered most of them up with waterproof makeup, she’d even gotten up at 5:30 in the morning to hide them, to ensure no one would be able to see them during their time at the lake. “Anna, I don’t think you know what you’ve gotten yourself into here. Kristoff’s such a perfectionist with this shit, you aren’t getting that s’more for at least an hour.” 

“That’s  _ so  _ not true, dude.” Kristoff glared at his friend, before reaching a gigantic hand into the bag of marshmallows, and sliding it gently onto the stick he’d been holding. There was something so gentle about all of his movements, especially for being as big as he was and how gruff his personality was. He turned his eyes back to Anna, and she felt suddenly safe, like when she would inevitably have to be honest with him, he would forgive her. “I’m going to make you a s’more so good, you’ll never be able to eat another one again.”

“I feel like that’s a euphemism for something,” Ryder teased, “Stop being so creepy, Bjorgman.” 

Kristoff immediately stiffened, and turned to defend himself, but Anna decided to cut him off, her smile widening, “Nope, not creepy! At least in my book,” She raised an eyebrow at the blond challengingly, “But I’m holding it to you, Kristoff. This better be one damn good marshmallow.”

“Oh you don’t even  _ know  _ yet.” Kristoff matched her look, holding the stick over the fire, smiling deviously in a way that made her stomach flip on itself and her breath quicken. “That challenge is  _ so _ accepted.”

He focused down on the marshmallow and back up at her, the fire glinting against his eyes, and looking radiant against his hair. He was still shirtless--which was a huge distraction for Anna. His arms were muscular and huge, his bicep easily the size of her face, and his neck was thick with muscle. He clearly worked out quite a bit, with defined abdominals, and lines down his hips leading beyond where his swim trunks rested, but still had a little bit of pudge on his lower tummy that was simultaneously adorable and beyond sexy. He was like a Greek God, but still human, with little freckles on his shoulders, and blonde hair dusted below his belly button. His body was warm, and firm and the type that Anna  _ would  _ have been attracted to, had she been single.

It was okay to admit he was easy on the eyes, right? And it was  _ normal  _ for her to want to grasp his shoulders with her hands, and feel what his hands were like on her. She was still absolutely in love with Hans, but she couldn’t fully deny the chemistry she felt with Kristoff. Plus, there was no harm in it, because Hans would never know, right? 

“Holy shit, Kristoff!” Sven cried out, as the marshmallow fully caught on fire. Kristoff cursed under his breath, and blew the blackened marshmallow  _ hard,  _ before throwing it in the makeshift trash bin they’d created out of an old shopping bag. 

“Don’t worry, Anna, that one definitely caught on fire but I can try again-” He yanked out another one and held it out. 

“Uh huh, sure you can.” She folded her arms, and raised her eyebrows again, “Or you could just set the cabin on fire, that might be effective.”

“Fine,” He deadpanned, throwing his hands up in defeat, “If you don’t want my awe-worthy s’more technique, that’s your choice. I’ll just have to find a different way to impress you.”

“Oh, is that what’s been happening?” She grinned slyly, “You’ve been trying to impress me? ‘Cuz if so, ya might want to consider trying just a  _ little  _ harder.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her, clearly accepting her challenge, and hopped up onto his feet, and heading inside of the cabin. She looked to Sven questioningly, and he just shrugged, popping a graham cracker into his mouth. There was a little swirl of adrenaline filling her body when she heard Kristoff jogging back, and he extended his guitar. “Prepare to be amazed!” He cried out, before scooting back over to his seat. 

“Shit, you’re serious,” Ryder’s eyes widened, and he leaned over to Honeymaren to elbow her, “He’s serious.” He repeated to his sister, who just laughed. 

“You play the  _ guitar _ ?” Anna’s voice lit up with excitement, “Okay, color me  _ super  _ impressed! How come you didn’t mention that earlier?”

“Hey, I’ve got tricks up my sleeve,” He shrugged nonchalantly, “ _ But _ I’ll only play it on one condition.” He reached over to fiddle with the tuning of the guitar, his strong fingers stroking each string. 

“Christ, here we  _ go _ .” Sven laughed, and stood up onto his feet. He offered a hand to Anna, which she took, and immediately bounced up to her own.

“Wait, what’s the condition?” She asked, looking around to everyone quizzically, her sister looking just as confused, if not moreso. 

Mischief gleamed in Kristoff’s smile as his focus landed on her again, making her feel suddenly tingly. “You’ve gotta dance.”

“I think I can manage that.” She quipped back, and held onto Sven’s hand a little tighter, dragging him away from the fire, to a spot on the patio without furniture, happy to see that everyone else quickly followed. “This better be good though, Kristoff!” She called behind her.

“Let’s hope so,” He responded, barely audible to her. She could hear him take a deep breath, before playing delicately, his fingers dancing over the chords. He cleared his throat, and began to sing, his voice surprisingly soft and fluid, and able to reach notes she wouldn’t have expected from him. 

He started out with playing  _ Beast of Burden _ by the  _ Rolling Stones _ , the music sexy and flowing as she and her friends danced into the night, the stars above them starting to shine. Elsa grabbed Anna’s hand and spun her around in little circles, and even managed to dip her without either of them falling over. She jumped up and down until her lungs almost gave out, her hair drying slowly under the moonlight. Every once and awhile, she would take a look behind her, and watch Kristoff focus on singing the right words, his brow knit with focus. He would catch her eye at some points, and smile in the dopey, lopsided way she hadn’t realized she was so fond of. 

He played about three more songs, from  _ The Beatles _ and Neil Diamond, and by the end of it, she was breathless, and smiling and drunk off of the wine she had been sipping throughout the night. As he played the final notes to  _ MoonDance  _ by Van Morisson, his voice slow and sweet and incredibly seductive, she realized that Kristoff might have been the most tempting man on the planet. Of course, he wasn’t her true love, but with enough alcohol in her, she’d almost forgotten about Hans. She’d been so lost in Kristoff’s voice and his charm, and the joyous energy between her friends and sister, she hadn’t even thought once about him. 

But in some strange, numb way, it felt refreshing not to. 

She hollered and clapped with her friends for the giant, blond leviathan as he stood up and took awkward little bows. Her heart pounded against her ribcage when he walked over to her, a satisfied grin planted on his lips. “So, how’d I do? You impressed?” 

“So impressed,” She slurred out, swaying from side to side, “Do you sing like that all the time? You’re amazing. I want to hear you sing all the time. How do I get you to sing again?”

“You don’t,” He turned away from her to start walking into the cabin, “I took on your challenge, I accomplished my goal, and now we part ways as unlikely friends.”

“You’re very funny, but I’m gonna get you to sing again!” She called out to him as he disappeared into the kitchen. For a moment, she felt the world fall away from her. She was so safe and cozy at the lake and cabin with her friends. She turned to face them, and immediately ran over to give her sister an enormous hug. She was so giddy, excited and  _ drunk _ . 

“He’s pretty cute, isn’t he?” Elsa whispered in her ear, immediately making her heart practically jump into her throat.  _ Of course Elsa knew _ , just like how Anna was fully aware of her sister’s feelings for Honeymaren.

“Stop it, I’m taken,” She stammered, before giggling, “Honeymaren, on the other hand, is not. Maybe you should ask her who  _ she  _ thinks is cute?” Elsa only laughed, clearly a little buzzed, herself and tightened her squeeze with her sister. She clearly wasn’t ready to talk about it yet, but Anna was glad she was at least no longer  _ denying  _ her feelings for Honeymaren. 

Once Kristoff came back outside, the gang of friends decided to head back inside to warm up and play a couple of drinking games. Anna was ecstatic to hear that Ryder was going to teach her how to play  _ King’s Cup _ , a game she’d never been able to fully understand due to the endless amount of rules. She wanted to help clean while Ryder and Olaf set the game up, so she hopped over to the sink to clear out some of the dishes. Soon after she started on the first one, she smelled a familiar cologne as Kristoff stepped up beside her.

“ _ Anna _ ,” He laughed, clearly fairly tipsy, himself, “Come on, you’re our guest tonight. Guests don’t do dishes, go sit down, I’ve got it.” 

“What?” She placed her hands on her hips, swinging them slightly, “You think I’m incapable of washing dishes or something?”

“Oh hell no,” He wagged a finger at her, “Listen up, feistypants, I am not gonna fall for your tricks again. I’m a feminist, and I think you’re fully capable of doing anything you damn well please. But,” He took a step closer to her, and she had to look up into his eyes. She could practically feel the heat from his chest against her own.  _ How was he so fucking tall? Why did he smell so good? And how was his voice so damn sexy?  _ She was too drunk to ignore it, and she could feel her stomach turn to butterflies as he continued, “I still want to do stuff for you anyway.”

Her breath caught, and she suddenly wanted to stand up on her highest tippy toes, wrap her hands around her neck and force him down to her. She hadn’t kissed anyone outside of Hans since she was eighteen years old, and Hans (while being the love of her life) didn’t really like to kiss her. Every time she’d asked him to in bed, he would force her away, or clamp one of his hands over her mouth so she couldn’t ask for anything else. 

She wanted to know why Kristoff was so happy to do things for her, she wanted to be able to thank him in any way she could. But she was also drunk, and it had been such a lovely day, and he was just so fucking stupid and handsome and caring and-

Her phone began to buzz in the back pocket of the shorts she was wearing. She gasped, and reached back to look at it. Her eyes widened at the contact, and she snapped them up to look at Kristoff, “Okay, thank you! Do you mind if I take this really quick? It’s important and I’ll be right back!” She rambled out, slurring over a few of her words, and quickly absconded from the room, back to the patio before he could respond. 

As soon as she was on the edge of the patio, she crouched down so her feet could dangle up over the water. She sucked in a deep breath, and tried to control her thoughts so she might sound more sober than she actually was. “Okay, Anna, you’ve got this,” She whispered to herself, before sliding open her phone and bringing the object to her ear. “Hi Hans!” She exclaimed, forcing a smile into her voice.

“Hello, Anna.” His voice sounded snide and angry on the other end of the line, “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but where are you? You haven’t responded to a single one of my texts today, and I have been worried  _ sick _ .”

She bit her lip, and looked out over the water, quietly admiring the way the moon reflected in it. “I’m at a lake with Elsa and Honeymaren. It’s a sorority thing, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” Her voice trailed off. She knew she would normally be able to come up with a better excuse, but her mind was having a difficult time focusing. Hans seemed so far away from her, and even though she loved and cared about him, he simply hadn’t been on her mind that day. 

“I see.” He sighed harshly, but clearly was trying to not get upset with her. She could tell in his gentle tone, even if it did sound a bit forced. “I guess I feel as though you’ve been spending quite a bit of time with them recently, and I suppose I miss you. I haven’t seen you in quite a long time.”

She made a strangled sound, unable to hold it in, when she remembered the last time she’d seen him. Her screams, his hands, his  _ force _ . Her long walk to the Walgreens, without even saying goodbye to him. “I’d given you all of me,” He continued, “To prove the sanctity of our relationship, and you left without even saying a word. Do you know exactly how hurtful that was to me?” 

She could feel tears prickling in her eyes, “Oh, Hans,” She whimpered, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t even think about how that would affect you-” 

“You fucking should be.” He snapped, his annoyance and pain clear to her, “You are acting like a selfish little child. I gave you  _ everything _ , and you couldn’t even say goodbye, or tell me where you were today. I am wasting so much time on you, you stupid little whore. After everything I’ve done for you. I’m ashamed, Anna.” 

“I know,” She choked out a sob, “Hans, I’m so sorry. I’ll be better-” 

“That’s what you keep saying, but I feel as though you’re only getting worse. I don’t deserve to be treated like that.” He chastised her, his anger piercing every inch of her. She had been so incredibly selfish and undeserving of him. She hadn’t even thought about him once that day. She’d even-

She’d even thought about cheating on him. He’d confided in her that cheating was his greatest fear, and she fucking thought about cheating on him. With a guy she barely knew, and really only wanted a friendship with. 

Maybe Hans wasn’t overreacting when he said he was worried about her making friends with other boys. Maybe, Kristoff was  _ exactly _ the type of person he had warned her about. Hans was trusting her with so much, and even after everything they had been through together, she was almost willing to throw it all away. For what? For a boy who could sing well and had a stronger body than Hans’? She was a fucking monster.

“No, no you don’t but-” She sobbed again, her tears blurring her vision. She sniffled the way she always did, and ran her hand under her nose, smearing her snot across it. She was  _ disgusting. _ “I’m sorry, Hans, please.  _ Please _ -” She sobbed on the word, stuttering it, “Give me another chance. I’ve been so awful, but I’ll be better.”

She continued to choke out harsh sobs as he sighed on the other end of the phone, exasperated. “ _ Fine _ . But if you don’t let me fuck you any way I want to  _ tomorrow _ , then I’m fucking ending this, Anna. You have to make that sacrifice for me, or clearly, we aren’t meant to be together.”

She cried harder, but managed to whimper out a pathetic, “Can we please,” She choked out the words, chopping them up into little pieces with her sobs, “Use a condom this time?”

“Don’t be a fucking idiot, Anna. Really.” And with that, she heard a solemn beeping from the line being dropped. 

She wasn’t sure how long she held the phone up to her ear, calling out to him as if she wasn’t aware that he hung up on her. Eventually, she turned her phone off, and set it down upon the patio with a shaking hand. She sobbed into her hands for a moment, desperate for the tears to stop. She needed to go back inside, without everyone noticing her ruddy, embarrassing,  _ ugly _ face. Anna was so pathetic, and she had never hated herself more than she did at that moment. She sobbed harder, wishing that she could just disappear--fix everything with her perfect boyfriend, and live happily ever after. She didn’t understand why she kept displaying such destructive behavior. He deserved better.

She cried harder and louder, to the point where she didn’t hear the footsteps of someone behind her, and jumped a little when she felt a hand on her back. She sniffled and looked up into the eyes of her sister, who looked almost like a ghost in the pale moonlight. “Hey,” Elsa said, before crouching down to sit next to her.

Anna sniffled, and wiped her face with both of her hands, “Hi, I’m sorry, I just had a little fight with Hans and-” She sobbed again, feeling terribly guilty about her conversation with him. “I’ll be okay, I’ll be inside in a minute. You should go back and be with Honeymaren.”

Elsa laughed sardonically, and looked out onto the water. Anna sniffled again, but followed her gaze, “I’m sure she’ll get it.” Was all her sister said, before she wrapped an arm around her shoulders, “Cuddle close.” Anna didn’t think twice before snuggling closer into the warmth of her sister. “You’re okay, Anna. You’re safe with me.”

“He doesn’t mean to hurt me like this,” She pleaded, not only to her sister, but to the entire universe. She felt Elsa nod against the top of her head, pulling her even tighter.

“I know.” She said, her voice feeling like home to Anna. “I love you so much. So does Honeymaren, and Olaf and Ryder and Sven. And Kristoff’s crazy about you. He wanted to come out here, himself, but I told him I thought it would be best if I did.” The thought made Anna giggle lightly, her sobs becoming noticeably less erratic. 

“I think,” She responded, not really sure what she was even going to say until it became more than evident, “I think I need to drop his class.”

She felt Elsa smile against her, “I think that would be a really great idea.” 

“Hey, Elsa?” She asked, drying her own tears with her pointer finger.

“Yes, Anna?” Her sister responded, her grip tight and comforting. 

“I love you too.” She reminded her, holding her closely. Even though she knew she was guilty, and that she was incredibly distraught over Hans, she felt safe in her sister’s arms.

When she went back inside, she was able to push Hans out of her mind, and have fun with her friends for the rest of the night. It took a lot of alcohol, but as she went to sleep, she was proud of herself, fully knowing that she would withdraw from his course in the morning once they got home. 

It would probably make him happy anyway, and that’s all she really wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay!!! a happier chapter! thank u all for sticking with me through this--an important aspect of trauma is that there are GOOD DAYS along with bad ones. we are continuing to build up and we are about to officially begin ACT TWO of this story! see u soon for the next update ;) AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS AND SUPPORT YOU SPIN MY WORLD ROUND


	8. Philanthropy Week

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH I'M SO SORRY I'VE BEEN SO BUSY!! I haven't really had time to respond to the comments but THEY MEAN SO SO MUCH TO ME AND I'LL RESPOND TO THEM SOON! Alsoooo welcome to the buildup leading up to ACT TWO of this story!

Despite the fact that her sister had been a part of Greek Life for the past two years, Elsa was relatively unsure what a “Philanthropy Week” entailed before she began attending Beta Theta Pi’s events. It was fairly clear that it involved fundraising through activities for various nonprofit organizations, but the exact activities were unknown to her. However, especially with her newfound fondness for Honeymaren’s brother and his friends, she was determined to learn everything she could about Greek Life, to support her sister and their friends. 

Anna and Honeymaren had been terribly busy preparing for Delta Gamma’s philanthropy week, since they were on the Service for Sight board, and they had almost forgotten about attending Beta’s events for the week. Once Anna remembered, she was ecstatic, and both girls tried to explain the events, but they talked over each other and used so much lingo that Elsa was unfamiliar with that she was left somehow more dumbfounded than she was before their mixed up explanation. She decided that, in the end, it was probably best to just “go with the flow” as Olaf encouraged her to do when she brought it up with him. 

On Monday, she and Anna were surprised when they received a platter of homemade cookies delivered to their doorstep, because a secret admirer donated money to the Rape Recovery Center (the Beta Philanthropy) and sent cookies to their apartment. Anna had jumped up and down with excitement, always a slave to her sweet tooth, and Elsa had immediately assumed that Kristoff had sent them over. Elsa wasn’t entirely naive to the world of romance, despite never partaking in a long term relationship, and she could tell that the tall, blond frat boy was completely enamored with her little sister. A part of her wished that Anna had met him long before she met Hans. Kristoff may have not been perfect, but he would have treated her with more respect and kindness than Elsa had ever seen bestowed within a young man. 

She was surprised to learn that they had actually been from Ryder, who used his presidential influence to send the “Very best cookies to the coolest girls on campus!” which felt like an enormous compliment coming from one of the nicest people she’d ever met. Elsa recognized that she was quickly growing quite fond of both Honeymaren and her brother’s friends, and that she felt grateful for the opportunity she was given to spend time with them. At first, she thought that attending the events of the week would be dull and even humiliating for a woman of her age and career path, but she was completely wrong. 

If anything, Elsa was forced to admit that Honeymaren was right in keeping Anna busy with these events. They started so early in the afternoon and went so late in the evening, that she didn’t have much time for Hans at all, especially after she had (thankfully) withdrawn from his course. It would mean that she might have to take a summer class, but Elsa felt like it would be well worth it. She wouldn’t be graded as harshly, since her new professor wouldn’t be trying to undermine or belittle her into submission. Without Hans constantly pressuring her, she was starting to seem like her old self again, the way she’d acted at the lake before he called her and spoiled her mood. 

Elsa hated Hans more than she had ever hated anyone in her life. A part of her was thankful that Honeymaren was still willing to help her, even if only to have someone who could physically stop her from gashing his eyeballs out if need be. The Philanthropy Week events also seemed to work like a charm to distract her from her own anger as well, and she was able to relax knowing Anna was slowly, but surely, detaching herself from him. She was still on edge, though, and in all honesty, hadn’t eaten or slept nearly as much as she probably should have.

It was both exhilarating and exhausting to go to each of the events, although Elsa was finally able to quickly choose an outfit (if only out of fear to be caught in her underwear again) before attending them. After receiving the cookies on Monday, they attended an event sponsored by Planned Parenthood on consent, birth control, and STD/STI testing and what that meant on a college campus. It was quite detailed, and with the enthusiasm of the Beta brothers, the presentation went off without a hitch. Kristoff and Sven even gave their own presentation on how “Real Men Act at Parties”, and were surprisingly insightful and respectful throughout the entirety of it. Elsa had no idea how her sister didn’t swoon in her seat. 

For the event on Wednesday, they were invited to a larger event at a local Italian Restaurant where 45% of the proceeds would be given to the Rape Recovery Center. Anna promised Elsa that she would meet her there, but that she would be getting ready at the gym near campus because she didn’t have time to come home between her shift at the Trading Roast and the event, itself. Honeymaren had promised that they could walk over together, and that she would buy Elsa a glass of wine for being such a good sport with all of the Greek Row nonsense. 

Without having Anna hogging up the bathroom space, Elsa had ample time to dress herself, choosing a lacy navy blue bodysuit with a white denim skirt, and tying her hair up into a complex, braided knot. She tried her best to ignore the butterflies in her stomach when she heard a three-rap knock on her door, and counted to twenty before striding over to open it. She inhaled deeply, in a desperate attempt to calm her nerves, before opening it with a smile. Her breath hitched lightly in her throat, as she stared down at her companion, her skin glowing and tan and gorgeous against a dark blue romper. 

_ They were wearing the same color.  _ Did that mean Elsa should change? She knew that Honeymaren found her attractive, but that did not give her any specific right to act as if they were on a date. Because couples sometimes matched in color, right? At the same time, it  _ was _ a Greek Row event, and she knew that sorority girls frequently dressed in similar colors for a photo opportunity. 

“Oh hey, we’re matching!” Honeymaren awkwardly pointed out, “Great minds, right?” 

Elsa blinked at her for a moment, “I mean, I can change if you think I should. I have plenty of-”

“No! No, don’t worry about it,” Honeymaren protested, clearing her throat, “I mean, it could work for some dope photo ops, you know?” Elsa sighed, fully reassured, and a little embarrassed that she had even suggested something so silly. Honeymaren had made it clear that she was there to show support. And if they were going to fully convince Anna that they were friends, it wouldn’t hurt to dress the part. “Besides, you look really beautiful.”

Elsa felt her eyes widen, and she choked on some spittle, needing to clear her own throat.  _ What was she supposed to say to that?  _ Before she could really think it through, she blurted out, “You do too.” Immediately losing her generally suave disposition.

Honeymaren smiled, “Thank you.” She said, her eyes piercing into Elsa’s, making her feel like she couldn’t move even if she wanted to. 

“You’re welcome.” She replied, unsure of where to steer the conversation. She knew she had chosen this particular outfit in hopes that Honeymaren would notice, but she never anticipated her to say anything about it. Elsa closed her eyes and ran through potential responses, or topics that she could bring up, but when she opened them, Honeymaren was still staring at her so attentively, she suddenly felt nervous again. 

Honeymaren swallowed after clearly too long of a moment, stretching their awkwardness to lengths that Elsa never could have imagined. Honeymaren, to be fair, was easily the most gorgeous person Elsa had ever come into contact with. It wasn’t just the way she looked, either, but the way she moved. Gracefully and slowly, even when she was giddy or tired, she moved almost like water. Sometimes like a babbling brook, other times like a full blown waterfall, sometimes a calm ocean just before the tide. Elsa had never been so thirsty in her life. “Are you ready to go? I owe you a glass of wine if I, um. Remember correctly.”

“Yes you do, and apparently I need it.” Elsa laughed, understanding just how desperate she probably sounded. She slipped on her shoes silently, while Honeymaren bobbed up and down on her heels in the doorway. She could tell that they were both feeling equally nervous--it was the first time they had been  _ fully _ alone since the night they noticed the signs of physical abuse on Anna. It wasn’t that she couldn’t trust herself around Honeymaren, but it was a lot easier to ignore the more  _ physical _ aspects of her attraction when other people were around.

Right now, it was impossible to look away from the soft curve of Honeymaren’s jawline, or the hook at the end of her nose. Elsa realized then that she’d never actually seen Honeymaren without makeup on, and wondered what she would look like bare-faced and sleepy in the morning. The temptation to find out was overwhelming, but Elsa was an expert at concealing her emotions. She strode out the door and locked it, before shoving her key into her purse. “Shall we?” She asked, almost offering an arm out to Honeymaren, then deciding against it.

“We shall!” Honeymaren replied, padding her flat shoes against the pavement of the stairs as they moved downward to the sidewalk below. 

The walk over to the restaurant was surprisingly easy--she had forgotten how simple it was to talk to Honeymaren, how easily she made her laugh and feel like she could be open about anything. They talked about everything from favorite vacation spots to their degrees, chatting openly about where they wanted to head in their lives. It was almost shocking to find that they had made it to the restaurant, long before they were supposed to. 

“I hate to say it,” Honeymaren turned around to her before they went inside, “But is it bad that it was kinda nice to talk about stuff other than Anna for once?”

Elsa’s arms felt limp and useless against her sides.  _ How had she let herself forget about Anna again?  _ She felt like a complete idiot, and wondered why they hadn’t talked about their plans. They were acting like they were something more than acquaintances, but something in the deepest part of her heart felt like it was okay. She only lost her grip on reality momentarily. “No, I think it’s probably healthy for us to give ourselves a break sometimes.” She admitted, despite the crushing pain in her chest. 

“Yeah, I think we deserve a little fun.” Honeymaren chirped, before holding open the door for Elsa. She thanked the smaller woman and entered the restaurant. She was sure that she didn’t deserve any fun--after all, the way she treated Anna when they were children and teenagers was what led her to create toxic patterns in her current relationship. She didn’t deserve to find happiness ever probably, let alone while she knew her sister was in danger. Anna was suffering pain that Elsa couldn’t even imagine, and she needed to stay strong for her. She couldn’t just  _ enjoy _ herself, even for a moment. She was a terrible, horrible person, but she needed to put on a show.

“It’s only for today, though.” She reminded both herself, and Honeymaren out loud. “We need to remember that.”

Honeymaren frowned, “What’s that supposed to mean?” She asked, although she clearly recognized the sorrowful answer. They could never simply be friends. Even if it was what was best for them personally, they needed to treat Anna seriously. Neither of them could risk losing her. 

Elsa offered her a melancholy, empty grin, “I think you’re right. Let’s have some fun tonight, and then we’ll focus up tomorrow.” Honeymaren didn’t deserve to have a night without fun. It wasn’t  _ her _ fault that Anna was being abused by her boyfriend. And she was doing so much to help her, so much selfless, unending sacrifice to ensure Anna’s safety. “Thank you, again. For everything you do for us.”

“I don’t really do that much,” Honeymaren laughed, “Just the amount that anyone would do for someone she cares about.”  _ Right.  _ Elsa had almost forgotten that there was a severe possibility that Honeymaren didn’t share her affection. Which, again, did not matter, considering it was not a path either of them could go down in the first place. When had she become so silly? It was intensely vain of her to assume that Honeymaren could ever see her as more than a friend, or even a friend to begin with. She really needed to stop living inside of her head.

She was thrust back into reality when she spotted a smaller, thinner friend walking towards her, his smile stretching from ear to ear. “Elsa! ‘Maren!” Olaf called out, rushing quickly to give them each a tight little hug, “Awwww! I love you guys so much! You’re gonna love this restaurant. Would you like to sit with me tonight? Anna’s already at the table!”

“Of course,” Honeymaren agreed, and placed a timid hand against the back of Elsa’s arm, her fingers flexing ever so slightly, sending daggers of energy into her body. The hand pushed forward, so Elsa began to move forward, sighing in agony when they pulled away from her.  _ Why was this woman so distracting?  _ Elsa would be lying if she didn’t say Honeymaren wasn’t constantly on her mind, infiltrating every thought and dream that she had come across since they first met. Even the smallest, barest touches would send her reeling for days on end. She needed a vibrator or something at this point, honestly.

The restaurant was cute and electric, with hoards of handsome collegiate men standing around, joking loudly with one another. An incredibly adorable trait of the Beta brothers, as Elsa had come to learn, was that they had a truly masculine comradery that wasn’t particularly toxic at all. They were all incredibly polite, and at least doing their best to remain informed, even if they could never be perfectly “woke”. She couldn’t help but feel her step become lighter when she spotted her boys sitting at a table, surrounding her sister like she was Scarlett O’Hara, the true Belle of the Ball. 

Anna, however, looked like she was in a complete world of her own, a familiarly glossy look in her stare. Elsa’s heart sunk. It should have been obvious that a week away from Hans wouldn’t be enough to restore what had been lost in her sister, to heal from the pain and trauma, but Anna still wasn’t able to admit that Hans would ever hurt her in the slightest. She wouldn’t be able to heal unless she could let herself be vulnerable, and until she could be strong enough to pull herself away from him, he still would have his grasp on her.

It was incredibly daunting to watch, a slow, laborious process that seeped into everything her sister did, whether she recognized it or not. Sometimes, she would earn a flicker of Anna, the charming, bright spirited girl who loved to read and write and flirt with anyone she came into contact with. Most of the time, especially when they were alone, Anna would just want Elsa to hold her and braid her hair, soothing wounds she would never truly understand, or heal on her own. Honeymaren had been there for Elsa ever since she’d made her promise to be, coaching Elsa on how to be a sister during the process of breaking a toxic cycle. It was difficult to be patient, to not simply hide in her room or run to the mountains away from the harm she’d caused her sister for so many years. But when she saw that look in Anna’s eyes, she knew she had to be patient. She had to be there for her.

Kristoff jolted her back again to reality, the world colliding into her like a freight train. He was adorable, bless his heart, but he was so enormous that he ended up knocking a few items over as he attempted to climb over to her and Honeymaren, apologizing haphazardly to people he bothered along the way. He was almost as clumsy as Anna, but it was due to the sheer enormity of his size. Without being in such close quarters, Kristoff was actually quite graceful and able to maneuver himself in a way that seemed very practical to Elsa. Once he made it through the obstacle course of people, chairs, waiters and glass objects, he immediately yanked out two chairs, presumably for Honeymaren and Elsa.

“Wow, Bjorgman, since when are you such a gentleman?” Honeymaren asked, giving him a light little smack on his massive forearm. 

Elsa rolled her own eyes, and thanked him. “Ignore her, she’s just mad because she already promised me my tab for the evening.” 

“I figured. Looks like I’m not the only valiant knight then,” He laughed and ruffled Honeymaren’s previously perfect hair, before hilariously scrambling to the other side of the table, where he took his place next to Anna, his eyes glued to her the entire time. Honeymaren grumbled about something involving her now mussed up hair. Elsa couldn’t help but turn to her.

“May I?” She asked, lifting a delicate hand. “It’s really just one strand out of place.” 

“No! No, it’s good, I’ll just check it in the bathroom later.” Honeymaren batted off her hand, “I don’t really care what I look like. I’m a lesbian at a Frat Philanthropy event. Who’d I be trying to impress anyway?”

Elsa nodded stiffly, before turning to her menu, her breath catching in her chest. It was good to know that her attraction to Honeymaren wasn’t a problem. It couldn’t be, if it wasn’t mutual. No distractions whatsoever would be involved, and they could continue to be acquainted as time went on, hopefully becoming more distant after this was all over. It was for the best if her feelings weren’t reciprocated. She could finally focus on her sister, and not worry so much about the future afterward. 

When the waiter came over, she asked for a more expensive glass of chardonnay, and her eyes caught Anna’s when he walked away. Her sister mouthed ‘I’m sorry!’ and pouted a little. Elsa only shrugged, and painted a tight-lipped smile onto her face. It was going to be a long night. 

***

Kristoff straightened out his tie, and looked at himself in the mirror, hardly even recognizing the man who stood in front of him. He hated wearing formal attire, it made him feel like an idiot, with his slicked-back hair that suddenly looked  _ way _ too long in the back, and his tight button up shirt that barely allowed him room to breath. The clothes felt crunchy and starchy and everything Kristoff generally tried to avoid. But he couldn’t exactly argue the “Dress to Pin” requirement without getting fined hundreds of dollars (fucking Frat beaurocracy), so there he stood in his slacks and tie, feeling like an idiot. 

“Damn, Kris, you’re lookin’ so good dude,” He felt a firm slap on his shoulder as Sven came up behind him, “Like a full on early 2000s romcom makeover.  _ Cinderella Story _ , bro.” 

He straightened his tie again, suddenly feeling like it was choking him, “I look so stupid.” He said, simply, unable to hide his vulnerability with the one person he could always be himself around.

“Hey, don’t talk like that.” Sven planted both hands on his shoulders and whipped him around to face him fully. “Look, dude, I get that you’re nervous but have you  _ seen  _ the way she’s been acting around you this week? What kind of sign are you looking for, man? She’s gonna be floored by you tonight. You look so handsome.”

Kristoff sighed, and managed to look at himself again. It wasn’t that he looked  _ ugly _ or something, he just didn’t look like himself. He looked like the type of person that she would probably like, but it felt like a trick or something. A mirage to coerce her into having feelings for him, and that felt icky and wrong. Anna deserved someone who could really look good in a suit, who could be mature and responsible and suave. She should go out and find a James Bond type, who wouldn’t cheat on her of course. Not some hick from Nowheresville, Montana like Kristoff. “I guess I just don’t want to get my hopes up.” He admitted to his friend.

“Okay, but at Vietti’s the other night, she could hardly even talk to anyone but you. And there were tons of guys trying to introduce themselves to her.” Sven reminded him, “And it’s not like she’s mentioned any boyfriend or anything. I just don’t think it would hurt to at least make a move toward something, Kristoff. She seems like a really nice person, who you might be able to get closer to.”

Sven was right--Anna had practically stuck by Kristoff’s side throughout the entirety of Philanthropy Week, joking around with him, and letting him sneak her glasses of wine at the Italian restaurant when he was sure no one would care. But the Bid Night Karaoke was different from the rest of the events. It was embarrassing, and awkward, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to sing in front of her, or any of these people. She’d told him she wanted to hear him sing again at the lake, but he wasn’t sure that this was the time or the place. 

“She is a really nice person,” He agreed, and walked out of their bathroom into the living room of their apartment, “And I just can’t afford to screw up with her. I still feel like there’s something I don’t know, and I don’t want to like. Pressure her into doing anything she doesn’t want to do.” 

Anna had clearly been through something, although Kristoff wasn’t entirely sure what it was. He wasn’t about to pry, knowing there were parts of himself that he wouldn’t be comfortable telling her about yet either. They’d only known each other for almost two months, and while it was easy to let his guard down around her, he couldn’t expect the exact same from her. 

“Are you at least at the point where you can admit to having feelings for her?” Sven asked, a little impatiently. “You follow her around like a total puppy, dude. And I know you’ve been texting her late at night. I can hear you laughing from my room, it isn’t hard to miss.”

_ Okay _ , so maybe they’d been inseparable since the day they went to the lake, but that wasn’t any particular indicator of her having feelings for him. But he did find himself constantly wanting to talk to her, to see her smile, to hear her laugh and tease him unabashedly. She was so confident and fiery, but also clearly hurt by something that he didn’t know about. He couldn’t add to that pressure, and he didn’t want to stress her out by seeming selfish with his feelings. 

“She hasn’t given me any  _ specific  _ indication that she might want to be asked out, so I’m going to keep being patient. I don’t want to stress her out by pressuring her into something she isn’t ready for.” Because Kristoff knew that he would want to be in a monogamous relationship with her, but he wasn’t sure that was what she might want. It was just something that would have to wait, so he could continue to respect her feelings and needs. “My feelings aren’t fragile.”

“You’re a good fuckin’ dude, did you know that?” Sven wrapped an arm around his shoulders, “She’s lucky to have a friend like you. Hell, we all are.”

Kristoff smiled, “I love you too, Sven.”

The final and most extravagant event of Philanthropy Week was just as elegantly decorated as Kristoff could have imagined. With streamers and balloons, and a myriad of different photo opportunity spaces, the stage space in the Student Union building was completely decked out. When they arrived, Olaf trotted along beside him, rambling on about how much the decorations cost them, and how Ryder had been such a drag in deciding the budget for the entire week. Sven immediately disappeared into a crowd of people, always the socialite, leaving Kristoff alone to check t-shirts at the booth in the back of the room, which Ryder had asked him to volunteer for. 

Kristoff always hated being on t-shirt duty. It wasn’t that the “Consent is the Only Type of Sexy” logo was anything other than adorable, but he despised having to talk to people for so many hours on end. He wondered how Olaf and Anna were so high spirited when talking to strangers, bouncing cheerily around the Trading Roast, no matter how grumpy a customer was. Kristoff was finally managing to visit her there unabashedly, always getting three hearts around the name “Christopher”, an official joke between them. 

By the time the event officially began, Kristoff was exhausted from selling the t-shirts, and wanted to rip the formal clothing off of his body like the Incredible Hulk. His only solace was keeping an eye on the chatty redhead, sitting between her sister and her best friend towards the front row of the makeshift theater. He tugged on his collar, feeling suddenly creepy with the amount of staring he’d accomplished, and felt a little irked that she still hadn’t meandered back to greet him yet. She looked completely happy, though, laughing wildly and bouncing in her seat. She was so incredibly beautiful, and he wished there was some way he could tell her how much her friendship meant to him. How much happier he’d been since the day they’d met. 

Ryder began the event with his own pitchy rendition of  _ Sweet Caroline  _ by Neil Diamond, which had the audience roaring with both laughter and applause, singing “BA BA BA” at every chorus. Kristoff always loved hearing Ryder sing, he knew how to captivate a crowd even without any talent at all, and he was an excellent MC for the event as a whole. He introduced the next group, a Barbershop Quartet of pledges, young and excited to do a ridiculous strip-tease to  _ Oops I Did it Again  _ by Britney Spears. 

Audience members kept yelling for different Frat Members, and their bids for the auction, and soon enough they had raised a total of $4,000, more than they had in the past week. The Karaoke Night was always a hit. People loved paying to see handsome young men make fools of themselves onstage. And honestly, Kristoff was just glad that they could use their looks for something better than picking up women at parties. They could actually help people with the money they raised, and that meant the world to him. 

After at least ten more ridiculous performances, with the audience applauding wildly after each one, he heard a loud, chirping voice call out his name. “Kristoff Bjorgman for $62!”  _ The exact amount he’d paid for her that night at the Walgreens. _

His eyes widened, and it felt like the entire crowd spun around in their chairs to face him. He felt his heart begin to pummel his chest, and he felt like he couldn’t move even if he wanted to. Until, of course, Sven began to chant his name, getting every single person involved. He could immediately feel his face getting ruddy with embarrassment, as he made his way out behind the booth. He felt enormous and awkward and  _ stupid _ as he walked toward the stage, suddenly hating everything about the event. He tried to keep his head held high, but he knew that he was slouching, becoming suddenly filled with a playful fury when his eyes locked with Anna’s.  _ That sneaky little spitfire _ . He grinned, and walked straight toward her.

“C’mon, feistypants, you’re gonna get your money’s worth.” He promised dryly. She stared at his hand, possibly not able to hear what he said over the cheering of the crowd. His friends were such  _ dorks _ . 

“What? Kristoff what does that mean-” She tried to ask, before he yanked her hand up, sending her straight to her feet. It took a bit of maneuvering, but he slid his hand underneath her and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “ _ OMIGOD KRISTOFF PUT ME DOWN-”  _ She cried out, kicking lightly against him, but the audience only cheered harder, hooting and hollering as he carried her up onto the stage. 

He had been hoping that it wouldn’t come down to this, but every Beta brother had a song chosen just in case they were bid on, so he’d at least practiced before the night began. He gently set her down, and marveled at how flushed her face was. He couldn’t help but laugh at her as he pointed down to Sven, who rolled his eyes with a shit-eating-grin and began his music. Kristoff began to snap lightly, and as she began to head off of the stage, he caught her hand and pulled her back to him, spinning her closer.

This only made the audience cheer louder, and Kristoff was working off of pure adrenaline at that point, and he moved away from her, a glint of mischief in his eye. He knew that if anyone was going to choose him, it was going to be her. He cleared his throat to sing, “You’re just too good to be true,” He raised his eyebrows at her, “I can’t take my eyes off of you, you’d be like _ heaven  _ to touch. I wanna hold you so much.”

She laughed incredibly hard, “This is so ridiculous-” before he spun her around again, and grasped a hand against her waist. She was so warm in his grip, and somehow serenading her felt completely right. He loved the feeling of her in his arms, just barely smelling her perfume. He hoped he didn’t smell like a “reindeer”, like Ryder always told him, whatever that meant. 

He continued singing the first verse of  _ Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You  _ by Frankie Valli, trying to ignore the way the lyrics seemed to convey the disturbingly cheesy feelings he had for Anna. His voice rang out loud and clear, and he kept his gestures joking and dramatic, “The sight of you leaves me weak, there are no words left to speak-” 

She laughed, and looked out at the audience, and silently moved herself out of his grip, scampering down the stage with an astounding “BOOOO” from the audience, accompanied by a few little laughs to let her know they were kidding. Kristoff shrugged, and let it add to his performance, suddenly becoming much more dramatic as the music began to pick up into the chorus.

“I love you, baby!” He pointed at her, whipping his head back and forth, and he could tell she was laughing so hard that there were tears filling her gorgeous eyes. “And if it’s quite alright, I need you baby, to warm the lonely night, I love you, baby. Trust in me when I say-” 

He danced jokingly across the stage, belting out the rest of the song perfectly, and finishing with a bow, astounded by the standing ovation that followed. He laughed, and took another bow, blowing fake kisses out to the audience. He hopped off of the stage, not bothering to take the stairs, and felt confident enough from the adrenaline to wink at her as he walked back towards the booth. 

After the event had ended, Kristoff was (unfortunately) swarmed by sorority girls from other houses, which he had to politely avoid as he walked back toward Elsa, Honeymaren and Anna. She was smiling, with her arms crossed when he finally reached her, sending little sparks of energy all across his body. She was just so damn  _ cute _ and he wanted her approval more than anything, it was almost sickening. 

“So, I probably deserved that, huh?” She asked, quirking up a perfect eyebrow.

“I mean, you started it.” He smiled and offered her a little shrug, feeling like the king of the world with all of her attention focused on him. “ _ But  _ you did find a way to make me sing for you again. So props to you for that.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you sound exactly like the guy that plays Jesse on  _ Glee _ ?” She asked, and then bit her bottom lip almost suggestively, sending him reeling.

“Honestly, no?” He chuckled, “But I know who you’re talking about. And I love him on  _ Mindhunter  _ so I’ll take it as a compliment.” 

She smiled, and rocked forward on her toes, suddenly much closer than he had anticipated. “Well, I think you’re very talented, Kristoff Bjorgman. And that performance will haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life.”

“I did my job well, then.” He grinned, “Now I’m just going to have to figure out how to pay another $62 for you, so I have the upper hand again.”

“You wouldn’t  _ dare _ !” Anna cried out, hitting his arm with a little smack. “We’re equal now, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

There was a small part of him that wanted to ask her out to dinner, to lay his feelings out on the table just like he’d done on the stage. But a larger part of him knew he shouldn’t overdo it. He was still a good person, and even though she was the funniest, smartest, and prettiest person he’d ever met, he didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. Luckily, Honeymaren was able to jump in and make his decision for him.

“Let’s go get a picture together, guys!” She gestured toward one of the photo opportunity spots.

“That’s a great idea, ‘Mare!” Anna agreed, and smiled at him, a little sheepishly, “I mean, if you want to join us?”

“Oh, uh-” He stammered, and tugged on his collar again, “Yeah, of course. I totally would.” 

Once the pictures were taken and Airdropped to Kristoff’s phone, he couldn’t help but see the way that Anna was looking at him in one of them. She was staring up at him, without him noticing like he was her world, just as much as she was becoming his. He grinned from ear to ear the entire walk home, while Sven made fun of him for his extremely public display of affection for Anna. “Subtle my  _ ass _ .” He’d said, completely calling him out. But Kristoff was feeling more than confident that the way she looked at him in the picture was more than a sign of her reciprocity. 

He was finally allowed to fall in love with her, and he was falling  _ hard _ . 

***

Social Media always felt like a needless, pathetic tedium to Hans; a miserable grasp at attention that no one would ever truly be able to fulfill. Originally, when looking over Anna’s Instagram page when they first started seeing one another, he could see that she was the type of young woman he was looking for. Wealthy, vulnerable and romantic, with a singular motivation to desperately grab at the attention of anyone around her. She was the type of girl that would have agreed to any proposal, and easily succumbed to the emotional damage that he would need in order to use her inheritance to his liking.

Up until recently, his plans for Anna had been going swimmingly. To his knowledge, she wasn’t taking birth control, and so his entrapment of her would be simple. Especially with the upcoming proposal he was planning. He was endlessly grateful that she had decided to drop his course, so that they could spend more quality time together. He was going to create the  _ perfect _ engagement party after the surprise proposal fit with everything Anna had ever mentioned enjoying, that Hans had kept a list of. She was going to say yes, he was going to slide the ring on her finger, and then every bit of hard work he put into her would finally be fulfilled. 

She would be his, and his alone. And he could finally impregnate her, receive an heir, and be a step in front of his brothers who had only produced daughters thus far. He would be first in line for the Westergaard company. And even if he wasn’t, he would have Anna’s inheritance to fall back on. She would be a perfect trophy wife to submit to him, and hopefully wouldn’t mind if he had a couple of mistresses on the side. He could beat her down, and ensure that she never saw anyone who could tempt her away from his side. 

The only issue was her  _ damn sister _ ; the pesky, more intelligent version of his girlfriend, who would clearly do what she could in order to keep Anna away from him. Hans was forced to recognize the fact that he had underestimated Elsa, and that meant he would need to act more quickly than anticipated.

This was made even more vital when he spotted a photograph of Anna on her vapid friend, Honeymaren’s, Instagram account. Anna was looking up, doe-eyed and dumbstruck, at some muscle-head brutish dumbfuck, who she hadn’t mentioned in conversations with him. He blinked a few times, before narrowing his eyes and scrutinizing the picture further. He attempted to control the absolute fury filling his veins, knowing that soon enough, she would be  _ his _ and he wouldn’t have any pesky frat boys to keep him away from her gorgeous body and sums of money. 

At the same time, he couldn’t afford her getting distracted by anything other than their impending engagement. If this meathead were to somehow sweep her off her feet (which wasn’t a difficult task to accomplish--she would fall for anything at this point), she might be inclined to either hold off their engagement or say “no” to the matter entirely. Hans had worked too hard to break her over the past year and a half to let her and her inheritance go easily. 

Hans seethed as he swiped out of Instagram. He knew that Anna had been more distant lately, but how could she be stupid enough to lie to him? He already told her that he could tell when she was being a lying little  _ slut, _ but if she was choosing to hang out with some dimwitted frat guy instead of him, there would be hell to pay. He wanted to march over to her apartment and bend her over to show her exactly how little power she had, but he knew that if he was going to convince her into marriage, he would need to play his cards more delicately.

Luckily, he still had a singular ace up his sleeve. And Anna still had that stupid friend. He swiped his contact list open to search for Honeymaren--she was the  _ perfect _ pawn to use. He needed to ensure that the proposal would go perfectly, but he needed to ensure that both the sister and the friend were going to avoid any funny business. He coughed, hoping that his anger wouldn’t seep into his voice, as her timid little mouse-voice answered on the other line.

“Hello?” She asked, as if she didn’t know what this call was about. Hans forced a smile onto his face, hoping it would read into the phone. He would be  _ like the totally perfect boyfriend for Anna!  _

“Hey, Honeymaren, it’s me, Hans, Anna’s boyfriend!” He enthused, “I just wanted to check in to make sure that we’re clear on the plan for the surprise party this upcoming Saturday?” 

“Oh, uh, yeah!” She responded, clearly falling right into his plan. He could tell that she absolutely adored the idea of Anna’s boyfriend being so considerate! He grinned. “I’m gonna tell her we’re going to a party, right? Like a frat thing. She’ll be so surprised when it’s you instead!” 

“I sure hope so,” He almost snarled, but remembered to keep himself even.  _ Fuck her and her stupid frat parties.  _ He would make sure that she paid the fair price for that. “And make sure she’s looking her best, okay? I don’t want her to feel like she’s underdressed or something.”

“Totally! She loves getting gussied up anyway,” Honeymaren suddenly sounded slightly more nervous than she had moments before. “Can I ask what the surprise is?”

Hans frowned, annoyed by the stupid girl’s sentiment, “No, that would ruin the surprise,” He deadpanned, but decided to give her an extra bit of information she would hopefully pass on to Anna. “Listen, Honeymaren, there’s something I wanted to tell you about. Can you keep a secret for me?”

Honeymaren paused for a moment before saying, “Yeah totally!” An obvious lie. No woman could resist telling a secret, and hopefully it would make Hans seem even more selfless and charming, pulling any of Anna’s interests away from any stupid fraternity member. 

“So, as you know, my family owns the Economics Department, with the Westergaard building and all,” He began, stabbing some of his nails into his arm to help with the effect of the lie, “Did you know Anna’s sister is getting her Masters in Economics? I was thinking my family would love to help her get an internship anywhere she wanted to, and probably an immediate employment after graduation. Do you think that’s something she might be interested in? I know you two have been spending more time together recently.” 

The sorority girl fell silent on the other end. Hans frowned, “Honeymaren, are you still there?”

“Oh! Yeah, totally! Sorry, I was just, um. Checking on something,” She lied blatantly.  _ Odd _ . “But I think Elsa would love that! It would be so kind of you.” 

Excellent. She was a dutiful little pawn, especially to the women she cared about. Sorority girls were so easy to read. “Sounds wonderful. So I’ll see you Saturday at 8pm?” 

“On the dot! Bye Hans!” She exclaimed before he was hit with the line ending. 

He sighed with relief, knowing that things were still on track. With the incentive of Elsa receiving an internship, and potential employment, she should be off of his back for the time being. Honeymaren couldn’t keep a secret. She was a woman, after all--and women love to gossip. Anna should be weary of both the threats and rewards to her sister, if she didn’t stop this “Beta” nonsense. 

  
  


***

The night before the surprise party, Honeymaren was placed in a very compromising situation. Anna knew that Elsa was being threatened by Hans, but she didn’t know about the surprise. Elsa knew about the surprise, but she didn’t know Hans was threatening her. And Honeymaren was completely stuck in the middle, needing to keep all information to herself, in order to protect both sisters regardless of the cost. 

The fact that Elsa invited her over for dinner with them didn’t help, but she needed to remain neutral so as to avoid getting caught. She didn’t like keeping secrets, especially from her best friend, but in order to play her cards right, she knew she would have to. Elsa would act irrationally if she knew she was being threatened, and Honeymaren knew she was working diligently to get her degree. She couldn’t compromise Elsa like that. And as far as Honeymaren knew, Hans and the Westergaard family couldn’t have any possible ties to use against her, and if he were to hurt her, she could easily send him to prison or at least appear in court to get him fired from the university. 

She could hardly pay attention to the episode of  _ Brooklyn Nine Nine  _ that was playing on the television of the Arendelle Street apartment, opening up her phone to check the time every few minutes. Honeymaren couldn’t stop thinking about the new bruise she could see blossoming on Anna’s neck, or the way that Elsa’s eyes would catch hers every once and awhile, completely trusting and reassuring. It made her stomach churn to withhold information from her, even if she knew it would be best in the long run. 

Elsa was someone that Honeymaren wanted to protect, especially as she began to show herself to Honeymaren again. The impromptu dance parties were beginning again, along with the adorable vulnerability displayed when Elsa teased her or rambled enthusiastically about books she loved or economics in general. She was an incredibly passionate person, which made her unendingly desirable to Honeymaren. It meant that she needed to keep her guard up, or else she could put Elsa’s degree and future into jeopardy. And she would never forgive herself for that. 

Honeymaren was still lost in the threats of her own anxiety when the credits rolled, barely touching her bowl of homemade mac and cheese Elsa had worked so hard on. “Okay so!” A high-pitched voice pulled her out from her thoughts, “What’s the theme of tomorrow’s Beta party again, ‘Mare?”

Anna’s eyes were lit up with excitement, so much so that Honeymaren had to pull her eyes away. She wished that she could tell Anna the truth--that they weren’t going to see their Beta friends, and instead that she was sending her into the clutches of her abusive, terrifying boyfriend. But Anna was too far gone over Hans to rationalize their plans. She just needed to be a little stronger, take a little more time to heal, with the full support of Elsa and Honeymaren. If she thought, even for a moment, that they disapproved of Hans, Honeymaren was certain that she would choose him over them. “It’s Black Tie! Not so much that you should put on a formal dress or something, but definitely a nicer outfit, you know?”

The truth was, Honeymaren had no idea what the exact level of dress was for Hans’ event. He simply told her to dress in something nice, but appropriate. She figured she would add that detail in as well, “But nothing too revealing, okay?”

Anna snorted, and leaned back into the couch, “Wow, okay, I see how it is.” She rolled her eyes and leaned over to her sister, who looked like she carried the exact amount of anxiety that Honeymaren was.  _ Although Elsa didn’t know how dangerous this was, either. _ A throb of pain surged through Honeymaren’s wrists as she clenched her fists together. She could do this, but she still didn’t want to. Anna nuzzled into her sister playfully, “Elsa, why can’t you come again? The boys  _ love  _ you and they’re gonna be so sad if you can’t make it!”

Elsa’s eyes met Honeymaren’s, in a shared look of exhausted worry. It was difficult to live in such a constant state of fear and secrecy. She knew Elsa was feeling the weight of it as well. “I have too much homework, I’m afraid. But you’ll tell them hello for me, won’t you?” 

“Yeah,” Honeymaren interjected before Anna could respond, perhaps a little too hastily, “Of course we will! That sucks, though. Homework is going to be the death of me, I swear.” Or her feelings for Elsa, at this rate. Even just the slightest gaze sent her reeling, the slant of her collarbone or the little dimple planted on her face when she smiled as widely as she could. She also learned that Elsa was terrible at family games, after a terrible round of charades at the Atohallan house during an after party of the Beta Philanthropy Week. 

Luckily for Honeymaren, her attraction to Elsa wasn’t as much of a problem once she realized that Elsa could never return her feelings. It was a pipe dream to assume that someone with model looks, a brilliant mind, bountiful wealth, and the selflessness of a saint would ever want to date someone like Honeymaren. She was a silly sorority girl, and she recognized that while she and Elsa could possibly be friends once they separated Anna safely from Hans, they would never be together. At the same time, she was completely head over heels for Elsa. There was something inside of her that understood that there would always be a part of her that would protect Elsa no matter what, regardless of whether she felt the same way. 

“It’s certainly not ideal that I’m unable to attend,” Elsa lamented, a powerful angst washing over her demure figure, “But I’m sure Honeymaren will take good care of you.” Her eyes locked in with Honeymaren’s again, strained and cold. Honeymaren nodded, swallowing tightly. It was time to get serious about this, no matter what would happen the following evening. 

“Oh my god, Elsa, you’re so overprotective,” Anna whined jokingly, still blissfully unaware of the dire aspects of the situation. Honeymaren hated lying. “What’s the worst that’ll happen? Eating too many of Olaf’s cupcakes? Talking Kristoff into dancing with me and being sorely disappointed by his lack of talent?” 

_ That _ was another problem that could hopefully wait until after Hans’ surprise; Anna’s feelings for Kristoff. Honeymaren had known Anna for two and a half years, and had spent almost every waking moment with her from the time they were roommates their freshman year, leading up to them being on the Philanthropy Board for Delta Gamma together. She knew when Anna was crushing  _ hard _ on someone, and Kristoff was becoming more problematic as time went on. At first, Honeymaren was on board with it, happily approaching Elsa with her theory that if Anna had feelings for someone else, it might spur her to dump Hans sooner. 

Elsa, of course, disagreed. She said that while she wished Anna could date someone like Kristoff, and would hopefully be with him in the future, that it was bad timing to stretch and confuse Anna’s feelings too much at that point. Kristoff would only make things more complicated, and hopefully he would just view Anna as a friend until she was available. The only issue with that was that Kristoff had no idea that Anna wasn’t single, or dating the most dangerous person Honeymaren had ever been in contact with. And he was totally in love with her--it was going to kill him when he would inevitably find out. 

While Honeymaren loved Kristoff to the ends of the earth, she knew she could handle him later. She just needed to focus on protecting Elsa and Anna at any cost. She could deal with her feelings and Kristoff’s afterwards, once she knew the sisters were safe. He would just have to understand--his feelings weren’t as important as Anna’s safety. It was just that simple, and she would need time to gather strength to break up with Hans, and heal from the damage afterward.

Anna fell asleep halfway through the pilot episode of  _ Twin Peaks _ , that Honeymaren had really wanted to show Elsa. Sven had actually been the one to suggest it, saying that Elsa had a real “David Lynch character vibe”, which she absolutely did. She was gorgeous in a mysterious, sexy femme fatale way, but still quirky and awkward enough to fit into the trope. Honeymaren loved  _ Twin Peaks _ , and hadn’t binged it in a while, so she happily agreed to show it to Elsa and Anna. Elsa seemed completely intrigued by the storyline, but when she turned to see her snoring sister, suggested they pause it. 

She woke Anna up gently, to tell her to go to bed. Anna nodded sleepily, before offering a lethargic wave and “G’night” as she retreated to her room. Honeymaren inhaled deeply, hoping Anna would get enough rest to face whatever they would have to the following evening. Time was inching forward far too fast, and even though Honeymaren had been considering all of the possibilities for Hans’ event for weeks, she still was ultimately unprepared. 

“You’re really great at recommending shows to binge,” Elsa commented, her voice low and far too sexy for Honeymaren to ignore. Sometimes, she wondered what Elsa would sound like when she moaned, if it was still as raspy and musical as her speaking voice. She wondered what her name would sound like in Elsa’s voice, in a gasp or a scream. It was enough to drive her crazy. 

But not enough to forget her promise to stay focused. To protect Elsa and Anna at any cost. So she responded with a tight lipped, “Thanks, I’m glad you like it. We’ll definitely have to keep watching it.”

Elsa nodded her head in response, with a light little hum. An awkward silence followed, a pattern that was becoming far more frequent between them. Honeymaren wondered briefly if Elsa could tell everything she wanted to say, but had to be left unsaid. She scratched her arm, desperate to distract herself with a meaningless task. She hated silence, but Elsa seemed comfortable with it, her eyes staring forward, unblinking, until she finally broke it. “We should talk about tomorrow.”

“I know,” Honeymaren lamented. She didn’t want to think about anything but that moment, in the comfort of Elsa’s company, Anna resting safely in her bed in the other room. She didn’t want to talk about Hans, or the bruises. She just wished that it would go away, so that they could start living normal lives. So that she wouldn’t feel guilty every time she enjoyed herself, or flirted with Elsa. 

Elsa opened her beautiful mouth to say something, but shut it, staring forward again. Honeymaren watched the even rise and fall of her chest, as her breathing began to slow. She was calming herself down, clearly feeling as awful as Honeymaren was. Finally, she shifted to face Honeymaren fully, her eyes kind and understanding. “I hope you know just how much it means to me that you would do this for us.” 

“I would do anything for Anna, you know that. I’m just glad I  _ can  _ do something to help,” She responded honestly, truly glad that even though she was putting herself into an uncomfortable position, she could do anything for them at all. “But Elsa, I have to be honest with you, I’m not sure how tomorrow is going to roll out.”

Elsa looked down at her hands, which were wringing together in her lap, a nervous habit that Honeymaren had started to pick up on. “I trust you to make the right decision, and that you’ll call me if anything gets out of hand.” Her eyes lifted back to meet Honeymaren, holding her in the tight embrace that she longed for, but could never have. “I know you’ll be honest with me, no matter what. You and I are in this together, through thick and thin.”

A pang of guilt shot through Honeymaren, so strong that she almost broke down right then and there. She wasn’t being fully honest with Elsa, but she couldn’t be. She couldn’t allow her to throw her future away. Honeymaren could handle this by herself, she could help Anna get through it without putting either sister in danger. She wanted Elsa to trust her, but she didn’t fully deserve that trust. “Of course we are.” She lied, swallowing her emotion. 

“Honeymaren,” Her name sounded so sincere, so confident on Elsa’s tongue. She had to look away, but her attention snapped back when she felt an icy hand place gently against her own. Elsa’s fingers wrapped around her palm, holding it gently. Her trust, her  _ love _ was something that Honeymaren couldn’t have, and she couldn’t be honest about her conversation with Hans. She couldn’t let Elsa sacrifice herself. “I really appreciate you. I need you to know that.” Her voice broke towards the end, along with Honeymaren’s heart.

“I-” Honeymaren knew she needed to respond, but she was caught between her longing to be with Elsa, and her needing to do the right thing for her. She loved Elsa, truly. She had to be honest with herself, she was in love with her.

And Elsa was so close, she could smell her perfume, feel her hand starting to warm against her own. When she looked into Elsa’s eyes, she could see the trust, honesty and adoration she could not allow herself to reciprocate. But Honeymaren, more than anything, wanted to lean forward just  _ barely _ and bridge the gap that they faced. Kiss her deeply, with the promise that she would help her through any challenge she faced. 

Instead, Honeymaren pulled her hand back, knowing it was her only option. “I have to go.” 

  
  


***

It was difficult to focus on her work when Anna was so genuinely excited. She was elated to have an excuse to dress up and do her hair, especially when it meant that  _ other _ people would be dressing up as well. It was a perfect opportunity to get a few more pictures for her Instagram, and dance the night away with the Betas who were starting to become some of her very favorite people. She found herself looking even more forward to seeing them, or getting texts from them as the days had gone by, and at this point, she would take any excuse to spend time with them.

“I love you baby,” She hummed to herself as she piped caramel on top of a macchiato, a little smile planted on her lips, “Don’t bring me down, I pray, oh pretty baby, now that I’ve found you, stay-”

“Hey, isn’t that the song Kristoff sang at the Karaoke thing?” Olaf asked, leaning against the cash register. Business had slowed down for the day, and Anna had been keeping her eye directly on the clock, waiting impatiently for her shift to end so she could get ready for that evening. “That’s funny that it would be stuck in your head, since that was like a week ago.”

Anna laughed, and shrugged her shoulders, “I mean, it’s catchy!” She exclaimed cheerily, genuinely fond of the memory. Kristoff had been such a dork, dancing back and forth on the stage like Donny Osmond or something. He’d looked absolutely stunning in his tuxedo, and the twinkle in his eye was devious to the point where she couldn’t stop thinking about it. Not in a romance-y way though! Just in a normal, platonic friend way. “He’s got such a good voice too, it kinda gets stuck in your head.” 

Olaf’s eyes widened, “Oh, you mean like how girls obsess over Shawn Mendes because he’s hot  _ and  _ can sing? Like in a ‘you secretly like him but only want to tell your good friend, Olaf’ way?” 

“Olaf! Ew, no way,” She wrinkled her nose, plucking up a lid to place on the drink she’d been making, “In a genuine, impressed friend kind of way.” 

“Uh huh,” He rolled his eyes, “So, what have you been smiling about all day then? If it isn’t that tall drink of water over there? Speak of the devil, seriously.” He gestured to Kristoff, who had nervously walked into the Trading Roast, a beanie on his head and looking a little out of place.

“What?” She caught his eye and smiled broadly, hopping up and down to catch his attention “Kristoff! Hey!” 

He waved back, and began to walk towards them, a large grin accentuating his jawline. He was becoming a more frequent customer, after she’d told him she wanted to see him more often at the Trading Roast. He would always come in around this time, so that he could take his time ordering and chatting with her and Olaf. Anna genuinely enjoyed his presence, and it always felt like the colors of the coffee shop were a little brighter when he was there. 

“Hey guys, long time no see,” He greeted them, “How’s work been today?”

“Ya know, pretty much the same thing it always is,” Olaf yawned, “How’s your day going?”

“Pretty much the same as it always is,” He repeated with a chuckle, the sound of his laugh tugging on Anna’s chest ever so slightly. She smiled even bigger, feeling her hands start to tingle. They always did that when he was around, although she wasn’t entirely sure why. 

“What can I attempt to make for you today?” Anna asked, rocking forwards onto her tippy toes.

Kristoff rolled his eyes, “Jesus, how do they keep you on staff?” He turned to Olaf, “Can you make my drink instead? Does it really have to be  _ her _ ?”

“Come on, stop whining. Nobody likes a whiner, Kristoff.” She tilted her head down, to peer up at him a little better. She really liked his smile, and the way he looked at her. He always had a softness about him, that made him seem so  _ cute _ despite being the biggest person she’d ever met. 

“Actually, I’m pretty sure it’s  _ Christopher _ around these parts, if my collection of coffee cups is any indication,” He quipped, folding his arms and leaning back a little bit, before he paused and scrambled, “Wait, not that I keep them. That sounded  _ beyond _ creepy, I’m sorry-”

Olaf laughed, “We all know you’re a creepy stalker, Kristoff, there’s no need to hide it.” And then twisted his face into a more serious gaze, “We’re all friends here.” 

“Alright, well, in that case,” He gingerly stuffed an enormous hand into his pocket to procure the wallet she’d become so fond of, “Can I have a grande iced americano?” 

“For sure!” Olaf passed a grande cup to Anna to write “Christopher” onto, with her iconic three little hearts. She set the cup under the espresso machine and began to fill it with two shots of espresso while Kristoff paid. She continued to work on the drink, adding the water and ice, before giving it to him with an enormous grin.

“It’s good to see you, Kristoff!” She beamed up at him, straining her neck a little to look him in the eye, “And I’m so excited for tonight!”

He reached forward with a confused look on his face, to grab the cup from her hand. His calloused fingertips gently brushed against the top of her hand as he accepted the drink, sending shivers down her spine. His hands were rough, big and warm, just like him. “Tonight?”

“Yeah!” She exclaimed, willing the flush away from her face as she shoved her embarrassed, tingling hand to her side, “At Atohallan at 9:30, I think?”

His eyes widened, and she could spot a tiny redness spreading across his thick neck. “Oh,” He swallowed, and moved a hand up to muss his hair under his beanie. “Uh, yeah, okay. I’ll um. I’ll see you there, then?” 

“Yes sir, and I’m gonna look super cute, so you better bring your A-game.” She grinned slyly, raising her eyebrows up at him. 

“You know I can’t say ‘no’ to a challenge,” He grinned back, “Well, I guess I’ll see you tonight then.” And began to walk off, “See you guys later!” He called back, before stumbling over himself, barely avoiding spilling his drink, “I’m good! I got it.” He called back again, and took his exit. Anna shook with laughter, wiping a tear away from her eye. He was such a  _ dork _ . It was strange to think that only a month before, she would have been intimidated by him. 

She definitely needed to look gorgeous that night, then. He'd accepted her challenge, after all. 

Although, she doubted that she could beat him in the good looks department. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank u guys so so much for all of your comments and support again! Y'ALL ARE THE BEST! thanks for sticking with me, I KNOW it's a lot of buildup but we will be getting into some more STORY soon!


	9. Something Crazy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAH!!!! I'm so sorry that I haven't responded to the comments yet! My summer courses just STARTED SO THAT'S BEEN INSANE!!! But I SINCERELY APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM! YOU GUYS ARE SIMPLY THE BEST OF THE BEST AND HERE'S A SUPER LATE CHAPTER!
> 
> the next one will DEFINITELY COME SOONER

In all of the years that he’d known him, Sven had never seen Kristoff like this. The project he’d been working on for his sound design class had been discarded once his enormous friend flung himself into their apartment, just to ensure he wouldn’t miss a second of the tizzy. Kristoff had twirled into the apartment like Leisel in  _ The Sound of Music _ , tossing his backpack aside, clearly barely paying attention to the world he was living in. It was, in a word,  _ priceless _ . 

The person Kristoff had started to be after he met Anna was almost unrecognizable to Sven. He had become increasingly more confident and inclined to make new friends, showcasing his awesome personality. He’d smiled a lot more, and also fussed with his appearance, constantly rearranging his messy hair with rough tousles. It was adorable. 

Somehow, this little redhead had made it through his friend’s rough exterior to showcase all of the gooey teddy bear hugs that lay beneath it all. Sven was really happy for Kristoff--he’d always wanted him to feel more comfortable in his own skin, not so nervous and lumbering, but goofy and happy. She made him happy, and Sven was sure that if he just told her how he felt, they would be able to make each other happy. 

That’s why Sven was ecstatic to discover that his friend had finally crossed a tiny boundary with her. “And then she said she’d see me tonight,” Kristoff grinned sheepishly, rubbing a hand against the back of his neck in the way he always did when he felt embarrassed, “We’re supposed to meet at the Atohollan house at 9:30. She told me to wear something nice, so I’m gonna knock her socks off.” He pushed through his closet, past ridiculous amounts of Beta hoodies.

“Good for you, dude! Way to put yourself on the line,” Sven sat on Kristoff’s bed nonchalantly as he watched his friend’s giddy meltdown. Kristoff had been fidgeting as soon as he got into the apartment, randomly straightening things out, and washing every dish by hand. He loved seeing Kristoff this excited, although there was something about his story that seemed off. “Are you sure, though, dude? Is there like a hangout tonight?” 

Kristoff paused, snapping his hands down to his sides, to turn and look at Sven. “I mean, I’m pretty sure she asked me out?” His brow knit together slightly in thought, “Ryder’s at that leadership retreat, and Olaf said he was hanging out with his mom tonight. She’s in town I guess...so they’re not gonna be there?” 

Sven pursed his lips together and leaned back, folding his arms. “I guess that  _ would _ be a date then. Or at least a one on one hangout.” While he was more than certain that his friend was head over heels for Anna, he wasn’t sure she could feel the same way. He assumed that she did--she hardly left Kristoff’s side whenever they were together, poking fun at him and staring after him when he walks away. Sven caught her checking Kristoff out at  _ least _ twice, and undoubtedly more times when he wasn’t noticing. But that didn’t mean she would want to date him...it was possible she was just looking for something platonic, or strictly physical. He just didn’t want Kristoff’s heart to get broken. 

“But she told me to  _ look nice _ . That sounds like surprise date material right there,” His friend protested, finally deciding on a forest green button down, “This is her favorite color. Would it be too much to wear her favorite color? Does that seem creepy?” Kristoff was always too hard on himself, and looked like he was analyzing the meaning of the color more than Sven was forced to do with Wes Anderson film assignments. 

“No creepier than paying for her Plan-B, dude.” Sven chuckled, before pausing. Something was definitely off, he offered his friend a look of concern. “Actually, speaking of which, did you ever get an explanation for that? Are you sure she doesn’t have a boyfriend or something?” 

Kristoff sighed out of his nose, and focused on unbuttoning the shirt enough to slide it off its hanger, “She didn’t tell me about it, but I haven’t asked. I just don’t think it’s my business, you know?” He locked eyes with Sven, looking suddenly exhausted, as if the two hours he’d bounced around their apartment hadn’t even happened in the first place, “But I honestly doubt she’s dating anyone. At least not seriously. She hasn’t mentioned anybody and we’ve been hanging out a  _ lot _ .” He paused and cracked his knuckles, unable to keep his hands still, “She would’ve mentioned it, right?” 

Sven could only shrug, inhaling deeply, “Dude, honestly, I have no clue. I just think maybe you should keep it, y’know, chill tonight. Make sure it’s a romantic date and not just a hangout.” He tried to be careful with his wording--he didn’t want to hurt Kristoff’s feelings. Kristoff was easily one of the greatest men Sven had ever known, and was an enormous intersectional feminist advocate. Or, at least as much as he could be as a cis/white/straight boy, and he didn’t want him to feel like Sven thought any less of him. 

Kristoff, luckily, understood. Sometimes it felt like he could read Sven’s mind, and he was always grateful when he could. “Yeah, you’re right. And she didn’t say the word ‘date’, so I shouldn’t-” He sucked in a breath and lowered the shirt, “I shouldn’t get my hopes up.”

“But,” Sven interjected, hating the sorrowful look that had sprung into Kristoff’s eyes, “You can still make her  _ want _ to rip that shirt off of you.” He hopped off of Kristoff’s bed, grinning as he saw his friend’s eyes widen in either fear or shock, “Let me go get some Britney on the radio. We’re giving you an early 2000’s rom-com makeover,” He grinned, before adding a little “Bitch.” for extra measure. 

Kristoff rolled his eyes, “Well, when you put it like that, I can’t exactly say ‘no’.” 

After two hours of Britney Spears’ songs, an absurd amount of hair gel, and at least three spontaneous pep-talks, it was almost time for Kristoff to head out to his possible date with Anna. Sven took a step back, and gave his friend a final look. Kristoff was a good-looking guy, and he was looking excellent in his outfit, but the gel seemed a little off. Sven narrowed his eyes, trying to find a solution, before discovering that the problem was, in fact, with Kristoff’s hair, itself. “Dude, do you have a fucking  _ mullet? _ ” He asked, before breaking into a fit of laughter. 

Kristoff reached back to self-consciously touch the length of his hair, “No, dude, it’s just this gel--although, you’re right, I am probably due for a haircut.” Sven couldn’t help but grin sloppily, and walk over to give his friend a comforting side hug. “Does it look bad?”

“No, Kris, you look awesome,” He clapped reassuringly on his friend’s shoulder, “I’m just being a douche. Plus, she already thinks you’re hot, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.”

Kristoff laughed, and shoved him off gently, “No she doesn’t.”

Sven lifted his eyebrows, “Uh, yeah dude. She definitely does. ‘Subtle’ isn’t a word I would use to describe Anna.” He looked his friend up and down again, noticing the way his shoulders tensed at her name, “Are we maybe in need of some liquid courage?” 

His enormous friend tousled his hair, and moved to their “liquor cabinet” (or the fridge) to pull out a handle of vodka, “Desperately, I think.”

Sven rolled his eyes and grabbed a shot glass that had been haphazardly left on the counter, and strode over to his friend. He knew this process was going to be difficult for Kristoff--he had never really let his guard down with anyone Sven had met (outside of himself, of course). While Sven deemed Anna more than worthy of Kristoff’s trust, he couldn’t help but worry. In the end, however, he was proud of Kristoff for putting himself out there. 

Plus, it meant that he could play _ Red Dead Redemption _ all night without some pouty, grumpy roommate to bother him or ask to be Player 2. 

***

A lump of guilt rested in Honeymaren’s stomach, as she entered the Lyft with her best friend. Lying, as she had come to realize, was not becoming any easier with time, as she had to straddle between what Anna, Elsa and Hans individually knew about the overall plan. She felt lonely and awkward, and couldn’t shake away the ache of nervousness surrounding her body as Anna clicked her own seatbelt on, and chattered away about her excitement for the Atohallan party. 

The light in her best friend’s eyes had become more consistent since she’d been spending less time with Hans. Honeymaren felt a sting of betrayal when she remembered that they were heading straight for him, unknowing the kind of manipulative bullshit he could possibly be planning. She couldn’t look Anna in the eye, so she peered out of the window, wishing she had accepted the shot of tequila Anna had offered her before they left the apartment on Arendelle street. At some level, it was clear that it wouldn’t have settled her nerves, but the trusting hug Elsa gave her before they left was weighing on Honeymaren heavily, and she had never felt so awful. 

She should have told Elsa about the threat. She should have reminded Elsa about the Westergaard role in the Economics department. She shouldn’t have let him talk her into bringing Anna to this event. But she did, and so she would simply have to be strong for the evening, and keep her best friend out of harm’s way. Which, she was now realizing, would be extremely difficult in the ridiculous stilettos she had chosen for the event. 

Anna looked beautiful, with her hair tied up in some complicated, braided knot, and a green embroidered dress that hugged her tightly in the middle. She clearly had spent a long time on her makeup, a glittery highlight outlining her nose and cheekbones, although her lips parted slightly as she looked out the window, and turned to Honeymaren in a confused panic, “Wait, isn’t Atohallan that way?” She asked, leaning forward to tell their driver about the confusion. Honeymaren stopped her swiftly, by placing a hand on her delicate forearm. 

“Anna, um,” She licked her bottom lip slightly, as her friend rested back against the carseat, her eyebrows still knit together in confusion, “We aren’t exactly going to Atohallan.”

Anna blinked a few times, her false eyelashes batting against her cheekbones, “What? But I thought you said that-”

“I know I said that,” Honeymaren interrupted sharply, before apologetically moving to a more gentle tone, rubbing her thumb against her friend’s wrist. “But the truth is that we’re going to a surprise-event-thing that Hans is throwing for you?” She squeezed her eyes shut, her guilt washing over her to the point where she felt nauseous. 

“Really?” Anna sounded meek and hoarse behind Honeymaren’s closed eyes, and for a brief moment, she wondered if Anna was going to hate her forever. She had no idea that Honeymaren would be keeping tabs on her for the night, making sure she was protected. But then, Anna surprised her with a delighted squeak, Honeymaren risked opening her eyes to see her friend bouncing up and down in the seat next to her. “No way! He’s the  _ cutest _ . Isn’t he the cutest?” 

All Honeymaren could do was nod, biting her tongue to make sure she didn’t give herself away. She knew this was a serious moment, and she needed to remain visibly supportive to maintain Anna’s trust. She just needed to get through tonight, and then she could finally implement the breakup plan, while still keeping Elsa’s future safe. Anna continued to talk, her voice getting higher as she clearly became more excited, “I love parties! And he’s throwing me one? That is so sweet!” She exclaimed, “Oh, shit, my hair. Does it look okay? I thought we were going to a frat thing but if it’s a Hans thing, that means I need to be the depiction of sophisticated grace. Am I the depiction of sophisticated grace?” 

Honeymaren wanted to tell her that she looked more like a little girl nervous about her first piano recital, but she just offered a reassuring smile, and pulled her hand back to her lap. “You look beautiful, Anna. You don’t need to worry about it.”  _ Because I’m worrying about it _ . She had spent so much time worrying and stirring over this party, she couldn’t even count the amount of sleep she had lost. It wasn’t as much as Elsa, though. If Honeymaren was being honest with herself, she would assume Elsa hadn’t slept through the night in weeks, she was looking so thin and pale. It made Honeymaren’s entire stomach ache with anxiety and sadness. She couldn’t understand why these things had to be so complicated. 

“Do you think there’s going to be dancing? I love dancing. Hans does too, and he’s actually really good at it! He dips me and-” She continued to talk about her disgusting boyfriend for so long, Honeymaren briefly considered slipping an Airpod in to listen to music and calm her nerves. Anna was in so much denial about him--that clearly, the fact that he danced with her sometimes or enjoyed the same type of sandwiches as her didn’t mean he even took the time to really get to know her. And it obviously didn’t discount all of the mental, physical and emotional abuse that Anna had suffered. Honeymaren felt helpless and anxious. Her mind kept traveling back to the security of Elsa’s embrace, and the trust she had clearly misplaced in Honeymaren. 

She had never seen Hans’ condo before, but as soon as they arrived, she quickly texted the address to Elsa and Ryder (who knew a portion of the situation, but not the entirety of it) just in case she eventually needed backup. Honeymaren didn’t know Hans very well, but she assumed he would act properly among guests, so she doubted anything would get to the point where she would need extra assistance, but it was better to be safe than sorry. 

After quickly thanking their driver, the two women exited the vehicle and began to walk towards the large building, Honeymaren toddling back and forth in her heels. Even after years of practice, she hadn’t gotten used to walking on such high platforms, while Anna seemed to be somehow less clumsy than usual on them, striding forward with an elegance Honeymaren had never noticed before. The night was chilly, signaling the true beginning of autumn in the air, and from Hans’ isolation on the hill, Honeymaren could see the stars above the pollution of the city. There was something comforting about them, that made her want to drag Anna back to the car and demand she end things with that monster. But she kept a stiff upper lip. She needed to, for both Elsa and Anna. 

“I want to stuff some chocolate in my face,” Anna giggled, tucking some loose hair behind her ear, “I’m honestly a little nervous.” Her tone got softer, “I haven’t had a surprise party like this since my parents were alive.” Honeymaren’s breath caught in her throat, as Anna looked up at her, her dazzling blue eyes welling with tears. Honeymaren bit her lip and reached down for her hand, interlacing their fingers together. At that moment, she made two decisions. 

  1. She would not allow Hans to ruin this night for her friend--he would be out of the picture soon, anyway.
  2. Anna was getting a bomb-ass surprise party for her 21st birthday. Regardless of the cost. 



She didn’t remove her hand from Anna’s until they entered the courtyard of the condominium where the event was being held. Honeymaren would be lying if she said it wasn’t the most posh event she’d ever attended. Fairy lights adorned the entire courtyard, filled with fountains and expansive gardens, with flowers braided through every decoration. A four string quartet played elegantly in the center of the courtyard, filling the entire space with a calming, sorrowful wail. At least seventy guests were dressed exquisitely, making Honeymaren suddenly feel cheap in her copper Dillard’s dress that she’d actually spent over $150 on. She nervously tugged at the hem of it, as the two of them were approached by a small, older man with round glasses. 

He had a large nose that seemed to perpetually stick up into the air, and a sharp British dialect that made Honeymaren feel like she was suddenly in a movie, “Hello, ladies, I couldn’t help but notice that you were gawking here for a rather long time.” He pointed out, making Honeymaren’s eyes widen with embarrassment and Anna let out a nervous chuckle. 

“I guess we were! I’m sorry, it’s just that this place is so lovely,” Anna looked around again, the fairy lights twinkling in her eyes, “Honeymaren, have you ever seen anything more beautiful?” 

Honeymaren wrung her hands together nervously, before a flash of a light blue caught her eye in a nearby fountain, reminding her of the color of Elsa’s eyes. She smiled, “I mean, I have, but this is definitely a close second.” She turned her attention back to the small man, who looked to be about Anna’s height and weight. 

“Yes, yes, I actually provided the decorations. My nephew is an excellent interior and exterior designer.” He stated proudly, before continuing, “My name is Wesleton, and I am actually in close business with the Westergaard family and estates,” He smiled tightly, somehow making Honeymaren feel more uneasy than she had when they’d first arrived. “And how did you two lovely young ladies come to know this family?”

“It’s nice to meet you Mr. Weselton, I’m Honeymaren.” Honeymaren responded politely, “And I don’t really know them, I’m here with her.” She thumbed over to Anna, who looked up at her gratefully, before responding.

“And I’m Anna!” She exclaimed, reaching out to shake his hand demurely. She was surprisingly good at this. Honeymaren was suddenly much more aware of the wealth Anna had as a child. It was easily showcased in her propriety and ease at such a fancy event. “I’m actually Hans’ partner. We’ve been together for about a year and a half now.”

Wesleton’s eyes seemed to brighten in recognition, clearly impressed by her, “So you’re the young lady this entire event is for! You’re a part of the Arandelle family, correct?” Anna nodded emphatically, and Honeymaren was suddenly reminded of the old money of Anna’s family. The street she lived on was named after her family, although she avoided mentioning it. Honeymaren briefly wondered what it would be like to be so simultaneously wealthy, but humble about that wealth, nervous for other people to know.  _ It must be nice _ . “Well, then I simply must ask you to have this dance!”

“Oh, uh, really?” Anna’s eyes widened, and she looked to Honeymaren for help, “I figured I should probably find Hans-” Honeymaren shrugged--she had no idea how these kinds of interactions worked. 

Weselton shrugged her off, “Nonsense, darling, he’ll find you eventually. Come, come! Enjoy the music with me.” And with that, he grabbed her hand, and began yanking her to the dance floor. She gave in and followed after him, but not before giving Honeymaren a pleading, displeased look, causing her to shake with nervous laughter. She checked her phone, but Elsa hadn’t responded. 

She breathed out of her nose harshly, and happily accepted a glass of champagne from a waitress that passed by her. She tossed it down in one sparkling gulp, and laughed loudly when she saw the man awkwardly dancing around Anna, who looked like she had no idea what to do, and desperate for an excuse to leave his side. Honeymaren decided to chase off after the waitress to snag another glass of champagne, and before she knew it, she found herself on the dance floor with Anna, laughing as some middle aged man began twirling her into his arms.

The music continued, and somehow the world began to spin, and Honeymaren wondered when she had become such a lightweight. Two glasses of champagne had never affected her like this before, especially when in such tiny amounts. But dancing was beginning to feel more like swimming, and while she could see Anna enjoying herself out of the corner of her eye, she felt like she was going to be sick. It didn’t make sense--she’d eaten dinner, and a fairly full one at that so she would be able to drink a little while still being supportive of Anna. But now, all she could think about was vomiting. She was about to excuse herself from the middle aged man when a more familiar voice asked to “Steal her away for a moment?” 

Her head was having a difficult time making sense of things when she saw the god-awful recognizable sideburns of Hans fucking Westergaard, his grotesquely clammy hands reaching around the small of her back. “Hello, Honeymaren, I am so glad to finally meet you. Thank you for attending this soiree and following all of the rules.” 

Honeymaren’s eyes widened, and she began to panic, her vision blurring as she searched the dance floor for a green dress or a flash of red hair. “Where did Anna go?” She asked, her head filling with even more questions she couldn’t figure out how to word properly. Her ankles were starting to feel weak as Hans began to spin her.  _ Something was wrong _ . “What was in that champagne?” She asked, a little more quietly, her hands stretching outwards on his shoulders before coming back together. 

Hans laughed, but it sounded more like a deep grumble, like a Volcano in a  _ Mariokart  _ game. She hadn’t thought about  _ Mariokart  _ in a while, and it almost made her laugh. She was feeling so sick, but she knew she couldn’t vomit on Hans, even though the reasoning didn’t fully make sense to her. “Anna is busy meeting my twelve elder brothers. She should be distracted for quite a while, making me all  _ yours _ .” The way he said it made the temptation to vomit almost earth-shattering. He was truly disgusting, “And that depends. Did you drink from the smaller flutes?”

She nodded her head and gripped the suit jacket he was wearing, “Yes, yeah, and I’m honestly feeling, feeling kind of-” His face was stretching apart, “Sick.”

“Well, my dear, the edges were dusted with MDMA. How many did you have?” She almost choked on him, the music suddenly pulsing in her wrists, and panic setting in.

“Two.” She admitted, looking up to search his eyes, which widened largely. “And do, do you mean like Ecstasy? Why the fuck do you have  _ ecstasy  _ on your-”

Hans only laughed again, his body vibrating grotesquely against her hands, that were still vibrating, “And here I thought you liked to party. This is a party, Honeymaren, don’t be stupid.” He sighed, “It’s a little pathetic, though. I’ll have a car sent for you if you wish to leave. That amount of MDMA should last for a few hours, after all.”

She almost wanted to cry, tears threatening to spill on her cheeks, but there was some odd part of her that was worried that if she cried, he would find out she hated him. And then he would hurt her and Anna, and even  _ Elsa  _ and she couldn’t let that happen. She could feel panic rising in her throat, and she swore she could hear her own heart pulse in her chest. She hated this drug. Was she going to die? She wasn’t sure how long she hadn’t responded, before saying, “No, I want to be here for Anna. How many, many hours do you think it’ll take?” The world began to pulse with the stretching of Hans’ face.

Sometimes, she wondered if the moon could talk.

Could Hans be a vampire?

She shouldn’t have come here.

She can’t protect anyone from anything.

_ What the fuck. _

Suddenly, she found herself sitting on a chair, practically paralyzed as Hans was on a stage. The fairy lights surrounded her and felt like they were sucking her soul away. Anna was so far away from her, and she couldn’t move. She couldn’t stand to help her, only focus on the twisting of the world, the threats of the stars. She looked at her phone, wanting to tell Elsa, to scream at her to help, but she couldn’t even remember how to spell Elsa’s name. There was something wrong about this, and she couldn’t do anything to stop it. 

Was she dead? Could she not help?

She missed her mom.

Honeymaren was dancing again. The water looked like Elsa.

She cried to the water, and apologized to it. 

The middle aged man asked her if she was okay.

She lied. The sparkles on her dress knew she was lying.

Colors were blending together. Sometimes they were black and white. 

She liked music. But not this music. 

Anna was suddenly on the stage. 

Honeymaren was sitting on the same chair as before, suddenly feeling like she was underwater, miles away from Anna. She couldn’t fully hear what Hans was saying into the microphone. Anna looked like she was smiling, but her eyes looked terrified. Honeymaren tried to get up. She stood to her feet, but her hands stayed on the chair. She asked her hands nicely to come up with her. They didn’t--they were glued to the chair or something, more panic set in. 

And then Hans was down on one knee.

_ Can I say something crazy? _

Something sparkled between his fingers as he lifted them towards Anna.

Those same fingers that choked her and slapped her. Those weapons that destroyed the friend she loved.

Anna’s hands were over her mouth as she nodded her head. 

“No!” Honeymaren cried out, the first thing she’d said in hours. The whole crowd turned toward her, their faces stretching. There was silence for the first time in the night. “Anna-”  
Her name choked out of her throat, before she was finally puking onto the ground. She missed the gentle hands holding back her hair the last time she’d been sick, the soothing voice who nursed her back to health.

She sat down onto the ground for what felt like hours, but eventually, Anna was bending over her, the diamond on her finger glinting against the moonlight. “Honeymaren, we should get you out of here.” She could only nod, before she saw the monster leaning above her. She could barely stand up straight. She couldn’t protect herself, let alone Anna or Elsa.

Anna was engaged to Hans. They were going to get married.

And Honeymaren couldn’t do anything but wish the world would go back to normal. 

_ Elsa was never going to forgive her.  _ She should have told her the truth to begin with. She needed to tell her the truth immediately. “We need to tell Elsa.” Anna nodded with a reassuring smile, all of the pain she had felt suddenly jolting through Honeymaren like electricity. 

She had been through so much already, and Honeymaren had only made things worse for her. 

***

At 11:30pm, Kristoff finally got up from the steps leading up to the Atohallan house, his ass feeling numb from sitting on it for an hour and a half on the cold cement. He sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling incredibly stupid.  _ Of course she had been joking. _ She wasn’t really going to see him, why would she actually want to go on a date with him? He was getting cocky with her, and that was against everything he stood for. He tugged on the collar of his button down shirt, and silently trodded down the steps, feeling stupid for going to all of the trouble to make himself look like that.

She was just probably on a different path than his, and it would be foolish and selfish for him to even try to follow her. She probably gave some clue, some sign that she only wanted to be his friend, and he was so wrapped up in his feelings for her that he couldn’t even read them. He was being dramatic and dumb, and he shouldn’t have even bothered going to the house in the first place. What made him think she would want to ask him out? Sven was probably right--she might have a boyfriend or something. Just because Kristoff tried to act all chivalrous and cute, and sang her a song, doesn’t mean that he somehow “earned” her. Women were human beings, they weren’t supposed to be earned. And yet, here he was, following his Jim Halpert sob story, wishing that he could just disappear. Or make her see him for who he truly was, the kind of person who would do anything for her.

But even that was kind of a misogynist way to approach his feelings for her. He was ignorant and careless to assume anything from her, but he was also nervous about the fact that she didn’t show up. What if something was wrong? Or if something came up? What if there was an emergency, or something she needed help with? He should call her. That would be the right, friendly thing to do. Because if there  _ was  _ something wrong, he would want to help--even though he knew Anna could handle herself. 

It didn’t seem like her to promise to see him and then not show up. She wouldn’t fuck with him like that. She was an honest, kind person as far as he could tell, and he would be a shit friend to not at  _ least _ check in. Plus, in the best case scenario, if she simply forgot, he could at least guilt trip her a little. 

He stopped walking and leaned up against a tree, swiping through his phone to arrive at her contact. He decided to put her on speaker phone, and inhaled deeply as the tone beeped back at him. Eventually, he could have sworn he heard a breath on the other end of the line. “Anna?” He asked, and paused, waiting for an inevitable beep. He did that sometimes, forgetting to wait for the dial tone, and tried not to get his hopes up to hear her voice on the other end. 

And he didn’t. He heard someone else’s voice entirely, an annoyed, arrogant voice that would never come from Anna. “She isn’t available right now. And who, may I ask, is calling her? Perhaps I could take a message.” Kristoff frowned in annoyance at the rude person on her phone.

“I’m one of her friends,” He responded, trying his best to avoid insulting the douchebag on the other end immediately. Maybe this guy was having as rough of a night as he was--he didn’t want to assume the worst in everyone. Sven was trying to work with him on that. “I just wanted to check in with her. Could I maybe talk with her for a sec?”

An aggravated sigh pierced through the phone, pissing Kristoff off even more. He tried to keep his breath even, not wanting to possibly anger one of Anna’s other friends. “I’m afraid she’s at a fairly important event right now and can’t be bothered with…” He paused, and muttered with distaste, “ _ Friends _ . Or at least any more friends than she’s already bothered with. Her friend  _ here _ is far too intoxicated. She’s making an ass out of herself, and I really don’t think I can put up with anymore of it. Have a nice night-”

“Wait-” Kristoff interjected, fully confused. What sort of important event would Anna be at right now? They had been texting constantly for weeks, and she hadn’t mentioned anything important coming up, outside of the DG philanthropy week coming up. She would have mentioned something. And when Kristoff really gave it some thought, something felt different about the situation. Anna wouldn’t just stand him up. She wasn’t like that. “Is her friend okay? Does she maybe need a ride home?” It was all he could ask. 

It was possible that it was just a DG event, and that Anna was using the bathroom, or holding someone’s hair back since they drank too much. There could be a perfectly logical explanation for everything that was happening. Maybe Kristoff was even supposed to  _ be  _ there with her, and she just gave him the name of the wrong satellite house. But there was something about the dude on the other end of the line that put a bad taste in Kristoff’s mouth. He seemed vain and pretentious, and Kristoff felt like he was talking down to him, like a teacher scolding a schoolboy. It put him on edge, and he was having a difficult time keeping his cool when talking to him.

“I assume you’re one of the fraternity boys Anna has been spending so much time with,” The voice chuckled on the other end, his words somehow insulting despite the fact that what he was saying was fully accurate. Kristoff was a fraternity member, and Anna had been spending a  _ lot _ of time with him. Why did it make him want to punch this guy in the face? “No, I really don’t think we need another yokel at this event. I’ll be taking care of her, myself. Thank you, though. Bye bye now-”

“I’m so sorry-” Kristoff interrupted again, hearing an annoyed huff on the other end of the line. He rolled his eyes, he didn’t exactly want this conversation to continue either--this dude was a true fucking jackass--but he just wanted to get his message through, “But would you mind asking Anna to call me back when she gets a minute?” 

“I don’t think she’ll be calling you back tonight.” The dial tone sounded on the line, and Kristoff stared down at his phone.  _ What the fuck was that supposed to mean? _ He was sure that it wasn’t necessarily threatening, but the whole situation seemed weird. He called Anna again, and turned around, walking towards Arandelle street, where he could have sworn her apartment was. 

She didn’t answer, although the message on her answering machine was beyond adorable, the pit in his stomach was getting deeper. He hung up, and began to pick up his pace to a jog, heading towards the apartment. He called again, no answer. Again, again, until it went straight to the tone.  _ That asshole must’ve hung up on him.  _ He shoved his phone in his pocket and began to sprint, the night breeze whipping at his face as he ran towards Anna’s apartment. He wasn’t sure why, but he had a feeling he needed to get there and  _ fast _ . 

***

After holding back Honeymaren’s hair over a toilet, and whispering a few calming words to her, Anna realized she was beginning to panic, especially as Honeymaren’s hair caught around the diamond on her finger. It was a  _ rock _ \--the biggest she’d ever seen--in a Princess Cut, wrapped delicately around between her pearly knuckles. She knew she should be happy. She had jumped up for joy on the stage. 

_ Can I say something even crazier?  _

The guests at the event had hollered and called out her name, and somehow it threw her back into the last time she’d been on a stage, the Beta Philanthropy Week, being delicately twirled into Kristoff’s strong, warm embrace. It was hard to not cry when she looked at the ring, it felt like it was burning into her hand. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to marry Hans, it was always in the plan, but her Junior year of college still felt a little early to be engaged. It made her sick to her stomach to picture herself getting married. She technically wasn’t even allowed to drink at her own engagement party.  _ But he was still ten years older.  _ Love would be worth the sacrifice, right?

She was almost relieved when Honeymaren needed her full attention. She probably shouldn’t have answered him that quickly, but between the music and the lights and champagne, it was almost impossible to say she’d have to “think about it”. Plus, there wasn’t really much to think about. It’s not like she was planning on dating anyone else for the rest of her life. At least, not out loud. 

She hadn’t been able to get Kristoff off her mind the entire night. It was stupid, but she knew in the back of her mind that she wasn’t planning on getting dressed up to impress Hans or get engaged to him. She wanted to see  _ Kristoff _ . It was terrible, and it was wrong, but she couldn’t stop herself from having feelings for him, no matter how hard she tried. Of course, she loved Hans, but she wasn’t sure that she  _ liked _ him. They had tons in common, but he never really wanted to listen to her when she had funny or intellectual things to say. Kristoff listened to her when she talked, and even if she was wrong about something, he would gently correct her. He never “mansplained”, unlike Hans. 

But he was just a crush. Which she was allowed to have! Especially if she was going to be engaged when she was only 20, to a 31-year-old man. She was allowed to think about Kristoff’s chiseled arms, and his warm eyes, and the way he never failed to make her laugh. She deserved that much, it was a sacrifice Hans could make, since she was sacrificing her youth for him. 

She wasn’t sure how Honeymaren got high on Molly, but she was worried about her, especially since she knew she’d also been a little tipsy beforehand. She helped her friend up, once she was dry-heaving, and wrapped an arm around her as she helped her back outside. Hans was waiting for them. Anna smiled up at him, “I think we should get her back to my apartment. Her brother’s out of town right now, and I think Elsa and I could probably help her.” 

Hans nodded, his brows knit together in worry, “Of course. I’ll drive.”

“No!” She exclaimed, hoisting up Honeymaren a little more, who was mumbling something she couldn’t fully understand. “Don’t worry about it, I can get us a Lyft or call a friend. You don’t need to leave your party because of me-”

“ _ Anna _ .” There was a darkness in his tone that almost made her flinch. The ring felt heavy on her hand. “I insist.” 

He hated it when she didn’t obey, and she didn’t want to cause a scene at the party. She also would rather not villainize him in front of Honeymaren, so she smiled a little softer, and agreed. It was going to be fine. He was going to help them. 

He didn’t offer to carry Honeymaren, or assist her to the car, so Anna beared most of her best friend’s weight as they worked their way into the parking lot. She helped Honeymaren get into her seat, who was babbling on about Elsa. At least  _ that  _ was cute and normal--even when ridiculously high on Molly, Honeymaren couldn’t help but think about her crush. It was getting so frustrating to watch them dance around each other. “I think I’m, mmm, getting more sober. You’re not stretching.” Honeymaren noted with a little smile.

“Yay!” Anna exclaimed and slid into the seat beside her, “I like not stretching. Also, Hans, I’m going to sit back here with Honeymaren to make sure she’s alright.”

Hans pressed his key into the ignition and started his car. “Fine by me. You do what you need to do, Anna.” But he didn’t look back to check in on her. Once he pulled out of the garage, Honeymaren was closing her eyes, since the world started spinning again. Anna didn’t know a lot about drugs, but Hans had promised Honeymaren that there would be a few more waves before the drug really settled. She’d been high for at least four hours at that point, and with the dosage she took presumably, she would be coming down soon. 

She was becoming more sober by the time they reached Arendelle Street, talking about how big the ring on Anna’s hand was. Anna wished she wouldn’t keep bringing it up, but she also understood that the engagement would need to be a topic of conversation for a while. She knew that Elsa wasn’t Hans’ number one fan by a long shot, but she would need her sister to be happy for her. If anything, she wished Hans would have invited Elsa, so she wouldn’t have to tell her, herself. 

It was strange that he didn’t invite Elsa. Especially when all twelve of his brothers got to be there. It seemed really unfair, and she would have to bring it up later. It might earn her a few lashings, but what would that be compared to her sister being there? She almost felt tears well behind her eyes. She wanted Elsa to be there. _ Elsa should have been there for her engagement, especially when HIS whole family was there. _ She was honestly more angry than she’d realized, although she still knew that she couldn’t bring it up. At least not now. 

“Thank you, Hans. I love you so much,” She choked out, realizing that the words felt more like song lyrics than words. Something she’d memorized and spewed out so many times. But maybe that was just because of the adrenaline of the night. She was engaged, and it was sudden, and it was probably normal to have second thoughts. She did love him. She  _ did _ . “I’ll call you in the morning okay?” 

She opened the door to the car, and locked eyes with Kristoff, who was standing outside of the apartment building, looking like he was out of breath. “Shit.” Hans exhaled, “No, Anna, you can’t just go home on our fucking  _ engagement  _ night, are you kidding me?”

Kristoff started walking down the sidewalk, a look of confusion on his face. “Hans, I need to take care of my friend. She’s so high, and I don’t think she’s ever been high before-” 

“You are going to tell your friend to get out of my  _ fucking  _ car, and go to your sister. Elsa can take care of her. But you are not letting her ruin my party  _ and _ the rest of my night. Do you understand?” Anna shook, but she looked at Honeymaren, whose eyes were wide with panic. 

She sighed, and looked back to her fiance, who was glaring daggers outside of the car. “Hans, I really don’t want to-”

“This isn’t about what you want.” He commanded, “You are not going with her. You are going to obey me, as my future wife.” 

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Honeymaren asked quietly, weakly opening up the door.

Anna wanted to go with her, to make sure she was okay, but she also didn’t want to have this conversation with Hans in front of Honeymaren, and Kristoff was coming closer and closer to the car. She couldn’t handle this right now. She was engaged, and Kristoff was there, and Honeymaren wasn’t okay, and Hans needed her. And she had to simply do the next right thing. She needed to support the man who had thrown her a party, for god’s sake. But she was still terrified. “Honeymaren, I need you to go be safe with Elsa and Kristoff. Just...tell Kristoff ‘royale with cheese’. Can you do that for me?”

“What does that mean?” Honeymaren asked again, her dark eyes filled with disorientation. 

“Just trust me.” Anna said and helped her out of the car before shutting the door. 

Honeymaren didn’t even make it to the sidewalk before Hans started the engine and sped away. Out of her periphery, she could have sworn she saw Kristoff scoop Honeymaren up into his arms and chase after the car. She hoped Honeymaren would remember the message. She needed to talk to him. 

“I can’t believe you wouldn’t let me go with her. She was sick, Hans.” She said, folding her arms and leaning against the back of his car, suddenly feeling a strange jolt of confidence. Maybe it was just from the power she felt from the ring, from the fact that he’d said he loved her. He should respect her feelings. Like Kristoff, like someone who would worry about her friend and scoop Honeymaren up into his arms. Who would treat her with respect. “And she’s my  _ best friend _ .”

  
“Stop fucking whining.” He snapped, making her shift suddenly in her seat. He was yelling, loudly, “After everything you’ve done. And I’ve given my world to you, a party, my manhood. And all you do is slink off to parties and worry about your friends? I’m sorry, Anna it isn’t going to work.” She wasn’t sure when she’d started crying, but she simply couldn’t stop. He continued to insult her, circling around blocks. Reminding her what a liar she was, what a slut. How deserving she needed to become. How much more she would need to let him do to her. She wasn’t holding up their end. But how could he be so threatening? They were finally engaged. She’d said she would give herself to him. She’d promised. She was allowed to have friends. But he kept insulting her, and reminding her why she wasn’t. 

“I think,” She finally mumbled out in between sobs, “I think I need to go to the bathroom. Could you pull up to that McDonald’s?” 

***

The knock on Elsa’s door was firm, and she immediately jumped to her feet when she heard it, making Zuko jump off of her lap and scramble to the other side of the living room. She had been busy watching  _ Bridget Jones’ Diary _ on the television, trying to distract herself from worrying about Anna. She wasn’t able to focus on reading, or doing any homework at all that night. Honeymaren and Anna hadn’t answered her texts or calls for hours, and she was hoping it was because they were having a good time. 

The scene displayed outside of her door proved otherwise. She had been worried for good reason. Honeymaren was slumped over in Kristoff’s arms, his eyes wide and brows pressed together with worry. Elsa gasped, and rushed to Honeymaren, thumbing over her forehead that was coated with sweat. “Oh my god,” She said, blinking fast, trying to gather information quickly, “Honeymaren, are you okay? Kristoff, what happened?” She looked up to him. Panic filled her entire body as she dared to ask,“Where’s Anna?”

“I dunno, but I.” He paused, and looked like he was trying to think as fast as he possibly could, “I think I might know where she is. And I have to go  _ now _ .”

Elsa nodded her head quickly, “Um, okay, let’s get her to the couch-” Her heart was aching with panic, and she could feel her breath quicken. Honeymaren was pale, with her hair in a mess tucked in the back of her head, and she was breathing hard. Her mascara was running underneath her eyes and her breath smelled distinctly like vomit. At first, Elsa thought she maybe had too much to drink, but in the state she was in, she knew it wasn’t the case. Kristoff rushed her over to the couch. 

“B-Bjorgman,” Honeymaren quietly addressed him as he laid her head gently on the arm of the sofa, “Royale with cheese.” She murmured to him, before squeezing her eyes shut. 

He looked at her seriously, “I know, Mare. I’ll go get her right now.” He turned to Elsa, with a sincerity in his eyes she didn’t know anyone could be capable of, “I promise.” And headed out the door as quickly as possible. 

Elsa knew that she was shaking, and that she needed to stop. She tried to slow her breathing down, trying different little exercises she’d learned in therapy, and hurried to her kitchen. Her movements felt blurry, and shaky, like she hadn’t eaten in days, and grabbed a glass from the cabinet, not bothering to shut it before she filled it with water. Honeymaren still looked like a mess--amazing in her copper-colored dress--but an absolute mess. She was staring up at the ceiling, unblinking. Elsa tried to calm herself down, knowing that panicking wouldn’t make this any easier. She just needed to find out what was wrong, and as quickly as possible. She sat down in front of Honeymaren on the floor and reached up the glass of water towards her. “Here, drink this.” She whispered, keeping her voice low.

Honeymaren giggled half-heartedly, “You don’t want to give me that. I’m a water bender, Elsa. You know you’re gonna get splashed.” She pulled her view from the ceiling onto Elsa’s eyes, her pupils strangely dilated, “And I’d hate to get you wet right now. That would be inappropriate, I think.” 

Elsa felt her cheeks redden, wondering if she’d meant that to be a direct innuendo. And then it hit her.  _ Honeymaren was high off of her ass. _ Elsa suddenly felt furious, her nerves turning white hot as she bit her tongue. Why had Honeymaren gotten high? Did she think that Anna’s abuse was some sort of joke? She didn’t want to confront her about it, but she was going to. “Honeymaren, what happened?” She knew she sounded cold, but she couldn’t stop herself. If Honeymaren had gotten high, that would be such blatant disrespect, Elsa wouldn’t even know where to start. “Are you on something?”

Honeymaren nodded, but she choked up a little, “He-He spiked my drink with ecstasy,” She barely got out, and then burst into tears, “I’ve been so fucked up all night, Elsa. It was so terrible.” 

Elsa’s breath caught in her throat, and she felt her own tears threatening to spill as she reached over to Honeymaren and stroked her hair. She was still filled with a fury she’d never known before, but this time, it was at Hans. She should’ve known he would do something like that. How could she have been so stupid? And then, on top of that, to assume Honeymaren had decided to get high? She wasn’t thinking clearly. She needed to calm down, and trust her sister’s best friend. Honeymaren was good and kind, and she’d been drugged without her knowledge. Elsa needed to take care of her, and hope Kristoff would find Anna. “Hey, it’s okay,” She promised, “You’re here now. I’ve got you.”

Honeymaren sobbed and reached up a hand to grab Elsa’s wrist. It was sweaty, and tight, but she clearly trusted her too. If Elsa hadn’t thought about a thousand ways of torturing Hans medieval-style before this, she absolutely was now. Elsa reached up her other hand to thread it through the feathery waves of Honeymaren’s hair. She was so beautiful, even right then. “Sometimes,” She hiccupped, turning her eyes back to Elsa, and bearing into her, “Sometimes I think you’re an angel.”

Elsa felt her eyes widen, and her ears begin to heat up, but she kept rubbing caring circles onto Honeymaren’s soft hair. It was the nicest thing that anyone had ever said to her, and even in the uncomfortable situation, she felt her heart swell for Honeymaren. She wished she was sober so she could kiss every tear away from her face, and remind her that he couldn't hurt her anymore. Elsa would protect her. “Sometimes I think you’re one too.” 

Honeymaren sniffled, and brought Elsa’s hand to her cheek. It was wet with tears, but warm, and even in her drugged-out, mess of a state, she was still a work of pure art to Elsa. She was so in love with her, and she was glad to know she was sobering up. Her pupils were shrinking. “Elsa, I’m so sorry. I couldn’t stop it.” She sobbed again, closing her eyes, “I thought I could handle it, and then I couldn’t stop it.” 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Elsa soothed, still having a sinking feeling that it wasn’t. “What happened? It’s okay, we’ll fix it. Whatever it is.” 

“He proposed,” She choked out, her sobs wracking Elsa along with them. At first, she felt numb to what she’d said. At some level, she knew that’s what the party was about. That’s why they had needed to be quicker about the breakup plan. This was going to be so much harder to disentangle. “And she said yes.”

Elsa could have sworn she felt her heart freeze in her chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay thANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO READ! this was a hefty one to write for SURE. thank u sm for sticking with me, i promise IT WILL GET BETTER!!!! stay with me here <3 and thank u again for the constant support and comments i love u all!


	10. After-Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH I'M SO BEHIND ON COMMENTS!!! but here's a v belated chapter! thank u all so so SO MUCH for your incredible analysis of my work, it fills my heart with so much happiness and joy and I'm so glad you care about these DORKS (except for Hans he's a scumbag)! ANYWAY ENJOY THE DRAMA

It wasn’t the first time that Kristoff had pulled up to a McDonalds past midnight, and it probably wouldn’t be the last, but it was certainly the most panicked he had been walking through the doors of the colorful building. There was always something sinister about a fast food establishment late at night. It was empty, and exhausted, with the people on shift clearly wishing they were anywhere but there. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, his face numb from the chill autumn air outside. His heart was beating like a drum as he searched over it, trying to make sense of the evening so far. 

He’d thought that she stood him up, but how could he be that vapid? Anna would never be the type of person to lead him on like that. She had clearly been in trouble the whole night, and he’d been too stupid to call her sister to check in on her. Instead, he’d just sat there for hours like a fool, and now she could be hurt or _worse_ and it would be his fault. Kristoff had to find her, or else he would never be able to live with himself. He just wished he knew what was going on. Who had been the douchebag on the phone? Why was Honeymaren acting like that? 

He knew he looked stupid--standing tall and broad, in his collared shirt and his messed, gelled hair. But there was only one thing that mattered--finding Anna. Something had clearly gone wrong in the night, and even though Elsa seemed to have a broad understanding of what had been happening, Kristoff was truly floored. Honeymaren was in a complete state, clearly high or something, but when the Cadillac sped away down Arendelle street, Kristoff felt the wind knocked out of him. He had seen Anna in the back seat sitting next to Honeymaren, looking terrified. It made him want to hit something as hard as he possibly could, but he couldn’t make out what the driver looked like. 

He chewed on the dry skin on his lip, not sure how long he’d been breathing hard enough to dry them, and dug his blunt fingernails into the palms of his hands as he feverishly glanced around the McDonalds. It was odd how he couldn’t seem to retain the physical attributes of the other people who were in there with him, only knowing they weren’t tiny, redheaded and drop-dead gorgeous. He rocked forward on his heels, suddenly worrying that he’d gone to the wrong place, but what else was her message supposed to mean? It was clearly a _Pulp Fiction_ reference, and this was the closest McDonalds to where he had last seen her.

He had run back to his apartment faster than he could’ve ever thought possible, and it was a miracle he hadn’t been pulled over for speeding on the way there. The only thing that mattered was getting to her. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach that she was in possibly more danger than Honeymaren had been, and the night had continued to feel numb as he searched for her. He took a couple steps forward, jerking his head, trying to decide whether it would be morally sound to check the Womens’ restroom to see if she was in there, when he heard the door on the opposite side of the room open. His eyes widened in recognition as Anna stepped into the room, looking bedraggled, but lovely as ever. 

“Anna-” Her name felt natural against his lips, like breathing. Relief washed over him as he saw her, still looking mostly sober and healthy, despite her clear exhaustion. She wasn’t injured as far as he could tell, and for an instant, he wondered if he was hallucinating her. She didn’t look up to meet his eyes, but instead rushed toward him, looking back behind her quickly as if checking to make sure she wasn’t being followed. 

“Did you drive?” She asked, still averting his gaze as she walked past him to the other exit. He followed her immediately, slightly astonished that she was able to walk at a quicker pace than he was. He hopped a few steps to catch up with her.

“Uh, yeah,” He said, wanting to touch her, to rub a thumb against her petite shoulder and tell her he would take her wherever she needed to go. “Yeah, my car is right out there. The su-”

“Subaru! Right.” She nodded, rushing out the door and into the parking lot. Kristoff began to sprint towards the car, recognizing her immediate sense of urgency as they made their way towards escape. He clicked his key on and slid into the driver's seat, briefly glancing as she jumped in beside him, clicking her seatbelt in, and staring straight ahead. 

“Go,” She instructed, her voice low and serious. She didn’t need to tell Kristoff twice as he slammed his key into the ignition, twisted it, and pulled them out of the parking lot and into the street. Anna turned to look behind her, her hair messy in the back, and streaks of mascara lining her cheeks. It was enough to make Kristoff’s stomach ache, and he desperately wanted to ask what had happened. 

He’d never been very good at talking to other people, but Anna was chatty enough to generally push the conversation forward without missing a beat. Her silence was enough to make Kristoff’s hands shake, worry building up inside of him faster than he would’ve liked. He knew he needed to stay calm for her, whatever danger she was in was far more serious than anything he could possibly be going through. 

After ten minutes of driving aimlessly, not sure of where she would want him to go, he finally turned to look at her, his words failing him. He wanted to beat the shit out of whoever did this to her and hold her tightly at the same time, but he could only ask, “Are you hurt?”

  
Anna laughed, a tight, sardonic sound that almost came out like a sob, “Nope.” She said, finally managing to glance at him. “Just a weird night.” He almost asked what had happened, before she added, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Kristoff gripped the wheel, but nodded, trying to maintain his cool. It was understandable that she wouldn’t want to--whatever had happened clearly rattled her to her core, and it would make sense that she would want some relief now that she was (presumably) safe with him. She checked behind her shoulder again, the motion almost habitual since they began the drive. Kristoff looked up into his rearview mirror, but couldn’t see any headlights behind them. He only wanted to calm her down, to make sure she knew she was safe with him. 

“That’s okay, I won’t pressure you to do anything you don’t want to do.” He reminded her before risking a glance at her, breaking his concentration from the road. She looked absolutely stunning in her low-cut green dress. He realized they were wearing the same color, almost like they were going somewhere together. He wondered what it would be like, to go with Anna to a formal or an event where he could kiss the top of her head, buy her more flowers than he could afford and hold open every door for her. He tried to force his imagination away from it, and focus on what really mattered. “What do you need?” 

He could see her shift in his periphery, a shuddered sigh escaping her perfect lips making his heart ache with concern. “A drink,” She laughed sardonically, before looking at him. “Um, thank you. For picking me up. That was really sweet of you.”

“You’re important to me,” He admitted, loosening his grip against the wheel, but continuing to focus on his driving. She didn’t respond, and he felt himself sink into his seat with embarrassment. “Where can I get you a drink? I think Sven and I have some beer at our place, but that’s probably about it. We could also maybe sneak into Atohallan--I could ask Olaf for the door code?”

“That might be best,” Her voice sounded almost normal, her breath becoming less erratic next to him. He wondered when he’d become so acutely aware of her, of her every breath, desperately trying to keep tabs on her wellbeing. _Was this more than a silly crush?_ He needed to focus on something other than the sweet temor of her voice, and the adorable way she wrinkled her nose when she was nervous. “I’m a mess, and I don’t know if I want Sven to see me like this.” 

“That’s fair, I wouldn’t want to be hit on right now either, if I were you.” He nodded in agreement, before freezing when she scoffed. 

“I meant that I look like a mess!” She exclaimed, the regular light in her voice briefly coming back. He wasn’t sure when he started smiling. “He would _so_ not hit on me.” 

“Shit,” Kristoff chuckled, pulling a hand away to run it through his crunchy hair, “I um. I meant that you look beautiful tonight. Like a Bond girl in a final scene or something. Not that you’re just like, something to objectify. I meant that you’re genuinely. You know. Um.” He huffed, feeling suddenly embarrassed. He wasn’t sure what it was about her that made him stammer so much, but he felt like he was constantly backtracking with her. She made him want to say things he would never usually say, and do things he would never usually do. Like sprint to his house, or sing at the top of his lungs. He could hardly even recognize himself around her. “You just look nice, okay? Not in a creepy way, just in a, y’know, an objective way.”

She laughed again and leaned over to bump her small shoulder against his arm, “Hey, you don’t look so bad, yourself.” She snickered, and he felt a warm sensation over his entire body. “But thank you, your objectification of my sexy, sexy body really gets me through the night.”

  
“What?” He stammered again, “ _No,_ Anna, I meant that I wasn’t going to-” He sighed, “Fuck, are you just messing with me again?” 

She giggled, and he could feel her coming back to him. That bright sparkle of joy and happiness--not that he felt like she should be like that all the time. He recognized that Anna was human, but it was killing him to see her so stressed. He hoped she felt safe with him, just like he always felt safe with her. “Duh,” She responded, resting her back against the seat, instead of rigidly checking behind her. “Anyway, you promised me a drink? One, perhaps, of a stolen nature from Atohallan?”

“You’re damn right I did, feistypants,” He grinned at her, quirking up one side of his lips, “Let’s go get you cozy with a glass of wine and I’ll make you some mac and cheese. How does that sound?” He flicked a finger to turn on his blinker, to turn left towards the satellite house. 

Kristoff almost flinched when he felt a delicate hand brush against his wrist, “Like the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me.” She said, her eyes brighter than the stars. And in that moment, Kristoff was certain he would do anything to protect her, even if he didn’t quite know what he was protecting her from. 

***

Coming down from the ecstasy was one of the most traumatic experiences Honeymaren had ever gone through--her body had felt drained and numb, and sometimes she could have sworn she was nothing more than a cadaver prop like the ones on cop shows. She was acutely aware of Elsa being next to her the entire time, and even when the waves of uncertainty would stop, jolting her back down to reality, the guilt of her dishonesty would wash over her when Elsa finally settled into her vision. She would remain there for a moment, her sweaty hand clutching Elsa’s, begging for an anchor to the world, before she would be soaring back up into her nightmare--visions of disaster filling her mind.

When the world eventually seemed to still, and Elsa’s face collided back into something resembling a human for a long time, Honeymaren was starting to understand that her thoughts were coherent. She shuddered against the couch, and moved a hand up to her face, wet with tears, sweat and smeared makeup. Patting it down, her skin felt normal, and she sighed with relief before turning to the blonde beside her, concern stapled into her lovely features. “I’m back.” Was all she was able to say, before Elsa clutched her hand a little tighter, and leaned in.

“Thank goodness,” Her sky-blue eyes looked like they were swimming, as if she could burst into tears at any moment. Honeymaren wanted to kiss her, feeling awful for how traumatic it must’ve been to care for her for so many hours, and wondered for a moment if Elsa could possibly harbor the feelings she did. She looked so simultaneously happy and terrified to have Honeymaren back with her. But Honeymaren knew better--she couldn’t assume that Elsa would be interested, especially after she allowed herself to get drugged and lose Anna.

 _Anna_. That’s right. Hans took her away, and Kristoff went chasing after. Honeymaren felt her eyes widen, as she jerked upright onto the couch, “Shit, Elsa, we have to go get Anna. Now.” 

Elsa shifted immediately to her feet, moving like lightning to press her hands elegantly onto Honeymaren’s shoulders and lay her back down. “It’s okay, she’s with Kristoff. He just texted me.” Honeymaren pressed her back against the comfort of the sofa, grimacing at how sweaty she’d become. She desperately needed a shower, but her limbs felt like they could barely move on their own, so she gave in to Elsa’s pressure and laid back down, relieved that Anna was safe with Kristoff. “Besides, you’re not going anywhere like that.” 

Sleepily, Honeymaren furrowed her brow to look at Elsa, “What, is the sweat not cute? My smeared makeup not a _statement_?” She attempted to jest, quirking up a side of her lips. She smiled a little wider when she was met with a mirrored expression on Elsa’s face, genuine relief settling in her gaze. 

“Honestly, I’ve never seen this much sweat in my life,” Elsa reached over to gently tuck a lock of hair behind Honeymaren’s ear. She sighed into the touch, wishing that she could turn and kiss the delicate hand to thank it for the gesture. “But you still look great. How are you feeling?” The concerned look was back, and Honeymaren was acutely aware of the pounding in her head.

“Um, not great?” She tried to keep her voice even, “That was easily the worst trip I’ve ever taken.” She laughed, trying to keep the conversation light. “I just feel exhausted. And angry. I fucking hate that guy-” She paused, and then tried to make sense of what had happened. “Wait, how did Anna get with Kristoff? She’s engaged-”

  
Elsa shifted back into the chair she’d brought over to sit beside Honeymaren. It was a sweet gesture, and wouldn’t go unnoticed, but Honeymaren was still uncomfortable with the situation at large. It was hard not to assume anything when she was so tired--she wasn’t thinking clearly. “I don’t know,” Elsa admitted, “I’m sure that’s why she doesn’t want to come back here yet. I think she might be really confused, and it’s probably best if Kristoff can take it off her mind for a while.” 

“Maybe she’ll admit that he’s a nicer dude and leave Hans for him,” Honeymaren chuckled, knowing it was definitely a stretch. Elsa only grinned back at her, and rolled her eyes. “Hey, a girl can dream, Elsa. Don’t make me give up on my dreams.”

“Your dream is for Anna to start dating Kristoff?” Elsa lifted a perfect eyebrow at her, a grin still toying on her gorgeous lips. 

Honeymaren shrugged, grimacing at the effort it took. “I bet he wouldn’t drug me at their motherfucking engagement party. So yeah, anything’ll do at this point.” Elsa laughed, a harsh, almost angry sound--like a supervillain or something. It was oddly sexy to Honeymaren to see her like this, with her guard down and her sarcastic sense of humor displayed. But she also looked incredibly tired, “Elsa, I’m really sorry I mishandled this so badly.”

“You didn’t,” Elsa promised, but Honeymaren knew better. She felt like she was going to vomit again, a desperate need to rid herself of the terrible choices she’d made. The lies she told. She had promised Elsa to do everything in her power to keep them both fully informed, but she had decided to withhold information anyway. From the look in Elsa’s eye, she hadn’t realized that yet. Even when she had taken such good care of Honeymaren, she was getting taken advantage of. Honeymaren, in that way, was almost as bad as Hans. And she hated herself for it. She needed to come clean, but she wasn’t sure how to. 

“Hans is a terrible person,” Elsa continued, reaching back down to grip Honeymaren’s hand a little tighter, “He drugged you. He didn’t need to, but he still did, so that no one could get in the way of him wrapping Anna around his finger. That’s why he didn’t ask me to come. He knew I would’ve talked her out of it.” 

The sincerity in Elsa’s eyes was almost enough to make Honeymaren sob. She wanted to bury herself in her, to curl up into the safety of Elsa. The icy chill of her hands, the soft scent of vanilla from her shampoo. She wanted to tell her everything she’d done, and promise to never hide things from her again. “He’s a fucking bastard.” She responded, holding back a sob. He’d taken advantage of her, and turned her into a lying coward just like him. She closed her eyes tightly.

“He’s lucky I’ve been trying to become a less violent person.” Elsa glowered, her tone cold and sickening, “On a lighter note, the fact that he drugged you will help our case with Anna. She’ll have a difficult time pardoning him of this particular action.” 

Elsa, her laser focus always intact, despite the severity of the situation, continued forward. It was, at times, robotic, but unendingly awe-inspiring the way she was able to focus on a task at hand. She would have her meltdowns, like when she saw the bruising for the first time, but she was always able to return to her sharper focus. They were a good match for each other as partners that way. Honeymaren was cool in a crisis, but had a difficult time maintaining day-to-day focus, especially with such a gorgeous partner-in-crime haunting her every dream. They needed one another. 

“We’ll confront her when she comes home,” Elsa continued, her tone calculating but her face telling a much different, panicked story. Honeymaren had never seen this much fury and anguish bundled into one person, and at some level, she felt sorry for Hans. She made a mental note to stay away from Elsa’s terrifying side. “She might be tired or excited about the engagement, or even fully delusional, but we’ll need to confront her. It’s not just her he’s hurting anymore. This changes-” Her voice broke, giving in to her external emotion, “This changes everything.”

Honeymaren gave into her instinct and she reached over to cup Elsa’s cheek. It was surprisingly soft, despite her jutting cheekbones, and she ran her thumb against her sleek jawline. Elsa’s eyes met hers, wide and full of tears. She was so good at constantly hiding her feelings, but Honeymaren wanted her. She wanted all of her. “You’re okay to show yourself, Elsa.” She promised, “It’s okay. I’m scared too.” Elsa leaned into the touch with a little smile. 

“Later.” She said in her quiet, raspy alto, “I’ll definitely have a mental breakdown. That’s pretty much the only thing I’m certain of.” She paused, but Honeymaren continued to rub reassuring circles onto her. Elsa lifted a tentative hand and placed it against Honeymaren’s, and it was enough to send energy throughout her entire body. She was so in love with her, and this moment felt so intimate, she felt like she could scream. 

At some level, Honeymaren could recognize that it was alright to feel this way. She wasn’t high anymore, and Anna was with Kristoff. For this moment, they were safe. She could stare at Elsa as long as she wanted to, and agonize over her fantasies of holding her as tightly as she could. She wanted Elsa more than she had ever wanted anything, and for the first time in her life, she felt unconditional, unselfish romantic love. She wanted to hold Elsa, to make love to her, because she wanted _Elsa_ to feel beautiful and confident and worshiped. At some level, it had nothing to do with Honeymaren. She simply wanted to give Elsa everything, so that Elsa could have it. She truly wished for nothing in return. 

She parted her lips to say something, anything, to let Elsa know, but then something more important entered her mind. Her longing would have to wait--Anna still needed to be their priority. She could be in imminent danger. “Her phone.” Honeymaren remembered, breaking her hand away from Elsa’s face, “She left her phone with him. She could try to get it back.”

“ _Shit_.” Elsa pulled away quickly. She stood, although her hands were shaking, “I, um-” She paused, her breasts heaving up and down with every breath. Honeymaren cautiously sat up in her seat, hoping Elsa wouldn’t suffer a panic attack. “I’ll go get it. You shouldn’t get up, just in case you have a relapse.”

Honeymaren felt her eyes widen. She swiveled her legs so her feet could touch the floor, but her head spun, and she fell back against the couch, “No-” She protested half-heartedly, knowing Elsa was right, per usual. But Hans’ threats to Elsa chased through her mind. “You can’t go there alone-”

“If anything happens, I’ll call the police. I’m not putting up with his bullshit anymore,” Elsa looked back at her sharply, “I need you to stay here and stay safe. He’s done-” She cleared her throat, avoiding a sob, “He’s done too much to you already. Feel free to take a shower and borrow some pajamas. I’d like for you to spend the night.” 

Honeymaren wanted to protest more, knowing the situation would be more than dangerous, but she couldn’t really argue with Elsa. Hans was wealthy, but not wealthy enough to get himself out of arrest if he did anything to harm Elsa. And Honeymaren could hardly move, so it was a risk Elsa would have to take alone, and Honeymaren couldn’t think of a better solution due to her exhaustion. So she only smiled up at Elsa, “Jesus, and they say chivalry is dead.”

Elsa glared at her, clearly in no mood for her innuendos, “I’ll text when I get there, and when I’m heading back so you know to call the police if it takes too long. Alright?”

Honeymaren pursed her lips together, “I can’t really argue.” But she wanted to; she just couldn’t argue without admitting guilt of withholding information from Elsa. And she couldn’t tell that information without Elsa potentially throwing herself further into danger, and making the situation worse. “Just,” She sighed and looked back to the ceiling, “Come back okay?”

“I’m sure it won’t be that big of an ordeal.” Elsa offered her a reassuring look. “I’ll be back soon. In the meantime, seriously, take a shower?”

Honeymaren nodded. It was all she could manage to do. 

***

The entire day felt like a thousand years and a 30-second montage all at once, and Anna knew she would need to think it over. So much had happened, and she almost felt like she’d dreamed it all now that she was sitting snug in Kristoff’s sweatshirt, cuddled beneath a blanket on the sofa at Atohallan. It felt uncomfortable to be doted on like this--Kristoff wouldn’t even let her get up to pour herself more wine, insisting that she must be exhausted, and that he would take care of everything for her. 

He’d been in the kitchen for far too long, working on “Perfecting a box of mac and cheese,” as he’d explained it. While she wasn’t sure how you could make Kraft any worse or better, the effort was appreciated. It felt strangely domestic to sit on a couch with a glass of red wine, casually watching Netflix while Kristoff worked in the kitchen. She felt a strange need to stand up and rush to him, clinging to his back and pressing gentle kisses to his spine to thank him. No one, except for maybe Elsa, had ever done this kind of thing for her before. 

It was probably the red wine that was making her so physical, but she wanted more. She wanted to feel uninhibited and forget about the night in its entirety. She wanted to dismiss any memory of Hans or the engagement, or how at some level, she knew Honeymaren had been drugged accidentally. She didn’t want to feel guilty or sad, or worried that somehow, Hans would find her and hit her again and again until she couldn’t see straight. 

She wanted to smell Kristoff’s cologne, to feel his strong arms around her, holding her and telling her that everything would be alright. She wanted to have a silly dance party with him, or hear him sing again. She didn’t want to think about Hans--she just wanted to envelop herself into the warmth and luxury that Kristoff had gone to incredible lengths to provide. She wondered if Kristoff would ever hit a girlfriend or wife. A small voice inside of her promised that he wouldn’t. 

He finally came back in, looking surprisingly handsome in the glow of the television, and sat down at the other end of the sofa, offering her a bowl of mac and cheese. “Why are you so sweet to me?” She couldn’t help but ask, realizing she was much more drunk than she thought, but happily accepted the food, “Wow, Kristoff this smells wonderful!” 

A little smile was plastered on his face as he leaned back, “Well, I guess we’ll just have to see how it tastes then, huh?” 

She nodded in agreement, and placed her glass of wine on the coffee table, to turn her focus to the macaroni he’d provided for her. She gripped the spoon, and looked up at him through her lashes, and felt herself flush a little when she realized his entire attention was turned to her. Anna really didn’t want to compare him to Hans, the man she’d devoted the rest of her life to just earlier that day, but she couldn’t help but remember the meals she’d shared with him in comparison. Kristoff was completely selfless, giving her everything he was able to, and not turning to his phone or the television to ensure her happiness. She offered him a grateful smile, before taking a bite. 

She moaned in surprise at the quality of taste--all cheesy goodness, and looked at him again, a bigger smile playing on her lips as she chewed, “Holy shit, this-” She swallowed, embarrassed she’d spoken with her mouth full, “This is _really_ good, Kristoff.” 

“Really?” He asked, the adorably dopey look back in his eyes, before he shifted back and cleared his throat, lowering his voice to audibly sound cooler, “I mean, yeah of course it is. I’m awesome at making cheap food. In fact, I make it all the time.”

She laughed, having almost forgotten how funny he was. It was cute that he ever felt nervous around her--she felt like it would often be the other way around. Kristoff was so cool and collected, and had so many friends. He wasn’t tied down by an oppressive boyfriend or strict rules regarding what he could and couldn’t do. Kristoff was so uncomplicated, and seemed like the type of person who could love without sacrifice. He seemed easy, and at some level, Anna wished she could be that easy to love. She would settle for the mac and cheese, wine and blanket for now, though. 

“Color me impressed,” Anna lifted an eyebrow before taking another bite, and offering him another cheeky grin. She was more tipsy than she’d anticipated, and the red wine was going straight to her head, making her skin ache to be touched. She ate some more, wanting to feel sober enough to ward off her apparent physical appetite, before setting the bowl down against the table and grasping the wine against her better judgment. “Thank you, by the way. For all of this. You seriously didn’t have to do any of this.” She gestured around them, suddenly aware of his endless kindness. 

Kristoff blinked, looking doe-eyed and a little sheepish as he ran a large hand through his hair, “It’s, um, no problem. Seriously. You seemed-” He paused, and in an instant, her heart dropped. She didn’t want him to pity her, or even worse, think she was some sort of burden or manic pixie dream girl who needed to be taken care of. “You seemed like you needed a break from whatever was going on.” 

Anna smiled, relieved that he somehow knew exactly what to say. It had been a long day, full of lies, betrayal and ultimately, happiness that her fairy tale ending was finally happening. She knew she would have to pay for what she did to Hans, but she figured it could wait until morning. He didn’t know where she was, and he couldn’t call because she wasn’t sure where she left her phone. “I seriously did. And-” She felt like she should say something else, but she wasn’t sure where to begin. She took a cautious sip of her wine before proceeding, “And I guess I’m just really grateful to have a friend like you.”

  
Kristoff stiffened, his broad shoulders somehow seeming even larger in the darkness. It was intimate, and he was speaking in a much lower vibrato than she’d heard from him--it made her feel safe and _horny_ and desperate for him. It was terrifying and titillating, and she was kicking herself for it. It was normal for her to have doubts--she was engaged at twenty years old. That was scary, and not something she’d ever anticipated. 

Deep down, Anna understood that she didn’t want to be tied down just yet. And while she wanted to make a sacrifice for Hans, she was starting to realize that Hans would never pour her a glass of wine and even make her dinner after a difficult day. She would just have to shove it down, choke on his cock, and pretend like his problems were somehow bigger. Kristoff didn’t force her to do anything--he didn’t even _know_ about Hans, and he wasn’t asking. He was just patiently sitting next to her, taking care of her, and not expecting anything in return. She took a larger swig of her wine. This was all getting to be so complicated. 

“Anna, I-” She liked the way her name sounded in his voice. She wondered what it would sound like as a moan, or a cry, to feel his breath against her. Anna knew what his name sounded like against her own lips--as a prayer, muffled by the water of the shower, a secret between her and the universe. She’d thought about him too many times, and would sometimes close her eyes and picture him over her instead of her fiance. _What had she been thinking?_ “I’m really lucky to have you as my friend. And uh,” He inhaled deeply, his large chest heaving, “I guess I was just wondering…” Her heart began to pummel against her chest. Was he going to kiss her? She wanted him to kiss her, desperately, and in an instant, she’d forgotten completely about Hans. She wanted to know what it meant to be kissed beautifully and gently again, to taste something other than blood or semen against her lips. “Are you okay?”

Startled by the question, Anna almost spilled the rest of her wine. She wasn’t expecting him to ask if she was alright--but of _course_ he did, because he seemed to constantly put her wellbeing as his priority. “Oh!” She exclaimed, and then slammed back the rest of the glass, uninhibited by her own feelings, “I’m, uh-” 

“Whoa-” He reached forward, before retracting his hand. He always did that--like it was his instinct to touch her, to hold her the way she wanted to be held, but always decided against it. He had so much more self control than her, but in the burning embers of his eyes, she could tell that he wanted exactly what she wanted. But it wasn’t the way Hans wanted her, like she was some sort of callused little slut, but a piece of art. “Anna, you don’t have to tell me what’s going on, I just-” He stammered, “I’m sorry, I just was making sure. And like, I’m never going to pressure you into doing or saying anything you don’t want to, but just. If you ever need to talk, I’m here for you.”

Her hands tingle at his words, and the sincerity in his eyes made her entire body convulse in a shiver. She’d never met a man who worried about her that much, or who truly cared without any ulterior motive. It may have been the wine, but Anna truly believed, in that instant, that Kristoff could possibly be the only person who deserved a kiss from her. And she’d hidden so much from him. “Thank you.” She murmured, and leaned in towards him.

  
She needed to know. She needed to know what it would be like to kiss someone, anyone else before she got married and couldn’t kiss anyone other than Hans ever again. She needed to know that marrying Hans was the right decision, that her romantic notions of other men were just silly fairy tale ideas she used to read about when she was small. Her eyes met his, and she shifted her body to lean in towards him. His eyebrows knit together in mild concern, but she didn’t mind. Her thoughts were no longer coherent, but she didn’t care, allowing the most carnal part of her to take over, taking exactly what she needed from him. “Kristoff-” There it was, the prayer, the whisper, that sounded so right in her voice. She closed her eyes, and continued to close the gap between their bodies. It felt so right to be so close to him. 

Warm, large hands gently caressed her shoulders, and she almost exploded right then and there. He smelled so good, and manly, and with those strong hands finally touching her, she only wanted more from him. She leaned into them, but her eyes shot open when she realized they were pushing her back. Her eyes shot open as he leaned her against the other side of the couch, and her heart immediately sank. 

Kristoff rejected her--it was written all over his face, from the downcast look of his eyes to the way his shoulders slumped in on themselves, making him look six times smaller than he actually was. Her heart sank. All of the insults, all of the threats that Hans would be the only man who could love a whore like her, came flooding back into her head. She was pathetic, holding back a choked sob as the realities of her day washed over her. She would never deserve someone like Kristoff, who would love her unconditionally. She was the type of girl who didn’t deserve her sister at her engagement party. She was the type of girl who couldn’t even protect her best friend from getting drugged. She was despicable. Kristoff could do so much better. 

And yet, she still felt herself almost begging, her voice weak and pathetic, “Do-” She held back her tears, “Do you not want to kiss me?” 

Kristoff’s face looked pained, and she felt her heart sink as his eyes met hers. She willed herself to look away, but she simply couldn’t, and she felt like she was drowning under his gaze. His voice was low, and promising when he responded, “Of course I want to kiss you.”

Confusion washed over Anna as she scrutinized him, her thoughts still hazy from drink, “So-” She shook her head, trying to make sense of it, “So why didn’t you-” She looked back at him, “Why didn’t you let me?”

He reached forward, and this time, didn’t retract his hand from her. She flinched at first, but felt her heart skip a beat as it gently settled on her knee. He somehow looked even more concerned than he had to start out with, “Because you’re drunk.” He stated simply, but thumbed over her knee, “And-” He sighed, and shut his own eyes, “And I _really_ like you, Anna. I don’t want you to feel like you have to do anything you don’t want to. If we’re gonna do anything like that, I want us both to be fully sober, and fully into it, okay?”

She wasn’t sure what it was--the fact that he respected her so much, or the way his voice settled around her, ensuring her happiness and safety, or the fact that at some level, she still felt the sting of rejection, but Anna broke down. She wasn’t sure how she started crying, but once it started, all of the strength that she had displayed for so many months came washing over her. “Shit-” She could head Kristoff saying, but he sounded like he was a mile away, “Shit, I’m sorry, Anna- I just really care about consent, and I want to make sure that you’re comfortable-” She sobbed harder, placing her hands in front of her face, “Anna, you’re so beautiful and smart and incredible, and any guy would be _lucky_ to have you even smile at them and-”

Anna wiped some snot away from her nose, before sitting up onto her legs, and throwing her entire body at him, wrapping her arms around his muscular neck. She buried her face in his shoulder, undoubtedly covering it in old makeup, as she whispered, “No one’s ever done that for me before.” She sobbed, holding him tighter, and choking out another as she felt his arms wrap around her back. He felt like home to her. “No one’s ever cared that much.”  
Kristoff snuggled her in, and rubbed an arm down her back, “Fuck them, then.” He said, plainly, “I do.” 

_I do._

A wave of guilt spread through Anna as she pressed away from him. He had been so kind to her, and she’d done nothing but lie to him. She couldn’t promise him that she would be able to love him--she couldn’t. She was promised to someone else. She’d become engaged just a few hours before. “Shit, Kristoff, I’m-” She jerked away from him, and stood up from the couch. The look of hurt and confusion in his eyes was enough to make her want to disappear forever, “I can’t do this.” She stammered, her drunkenness still affecting her. 

She quickly turned to grab her things from the corner of the room, and hurriedly opened the door, “I’ll have Honeymaren give you this sweatshirt back, but I don’t think we should-” She shook her head, as if trying to jostle her thoughts back together, “I don’t think I should see you again, it’s not fair to you. At least, not for a little while. Because I think you’re really great and all, but I can’t-”

“What?” She could hear his heart breaking in the word, clearly jostled from the entire situation. She knew it had happened fast, but she couldn’t let this, _her feelings_ , progress any more than they already had. It was becoming more dangerous for both of them by the minute. She couldn’t do that to Kristoff. She couldn’t lie to him anymore. “Anna, I don’t understand--please come back. I’m sorry if you felt like I pressured you or anything, we can just be friends-”

“No,” She turned from the door and looked at him, tears welling in her eyes again, “No, I think you’re awesome, but I just-”

“What is it?” He stayed in place, clearly terrified to touch her again, in case she didn’t want that. He had no idea that she wanted it more than anything, “Anna, please just stay-”

“I’m engaged.” Her voice broke, a sob coming out, “I’m engaged to someone else, and I really fucked up tonight. I need to-” She bit her lip. “I just need to be with him right now.” 

Kristoff said something else as she ran out of the satellite house, slipping her ring back onto her finger. She was a disgrace, an idiot, and she was ruining everything for everyone she cared about. How could she do something so fucked up to Hans and Kristoff? She didn’t deserve either of them. She didn’t deserve anything. She was a bad person, and she needed to apologize. Hans had done so much for her, and she was willing to throw it away over some pretty face.

Or, she needed to end things with Hans. Either way, it wasn’t something she was able to think about right then and there. She was drunk, and engaged, and heartbroken. More than anything, she wished she could run back to Kristoff and apologize, beg for forgiveness, and let him have his way with her. That always made Hans feel better, and why would Kristoff be any different, right? 

He would be just the same. All men were. That’s what Hans said, and Hans was always right. 

***

Summoning up all of her courage, Elsa knocked hard against the door to Hans’ condo. She had done the breathing exercises she’d learned at her Therapy sessions with Dr. Mattias, and waited patiently outside, practicing her breath control over and over again. She was letting her feelings get in the way of the outcome of this, and she knew that she couldn’t. At the same time, Hans had become far too involved in her personal life, and now that he had made a direct attack on Honeymaren, things were starting to get far more serious. 

Elsa understood that she would need to keep a cool composure in order to handle Hans properly, but when the bastard opened the door, she had to physically restrain from hitting that bastard in his smug face. She smiled thinly, as he glowered at her. It was imaginable that he would be in a sour mood, considering his own plans were going astray, and while Elsa hated him desperately, she would need to be delicate in her demeanor as to not encourage his temper. A thin, fake smile was planted on his lips as he stared down at her, clearly feeling emasculated by the events of the evening. 

“Elsa Arandelle. What a pleasant surprise.” He noted, but his eyes still told another story. “I’m sorry that I didn’t see you here for the event earlier. I assume your invitation got lost in the mail? A pity, that will definitely be noted.”

“Hi Hans,” She nodded curtly, “And don’t worry about it, as long as I’m there for future events, I’ll be more than alright. That is, assuming there are any.”

His brow furrowed, “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean. Unless, of course, you are referring to Anna disappearing this evening. I assumed she simply went to spend time with you to tell of her good news.” 

Elsa despised having this sort of small talk. It was the way she consistently interacted with the spineless dickhole, in passive aggressive threats and meaningless chatter. He always felt like he had the conversational upper hand and it was exhausting to watch him lose it frequently. She would have to smile and pretend that he still maintained his disposition, in hopes that his underestimation of her would eventually serve a purpose. 

She gave a tight-lipped smile before responding, hoping the glare in her eyes seemed as menacing as she made it out to be. “Anna’s young. Getting cold feet is normal for a woman her age, especially when she was so surprised by your proposal.”

“I suppose so,” He spoke nonchalantly, but the tension between them was palpable. Elsa questioned, in the back of her mind, if he wanted to hit her as badly as she did him. He hit Anna frequently, so it must have been difficult to not hit any woman he chose. He was despicable and slimy, and the look in his eyes gave every inch of his monstrous nature away. “Would you like to come inside? Perhaps I could interest you in a cup of tea or a glass of wine?”

“I’d like to keep my wits about me, thank you. I’ve never been one for hallucinogens.” She spat, standing her ground outside the door. “However, if I could retrieve my sister’s phone, that would make my night much easier.” 

Hans smirked, and lifted up his eyebrows in a way that seemed practiced. Hans was always so theatrical; it seemed like he frequently presented himself as if he were on stage, playing the part of a villain. It was that embarrassing. He was constantly portraying himself as some dickhead like Iago, rather than a natural human being. Elsa wondered why Anna didn’t take one look at his obviously tiny manhood (not that size mattered, but the energy, and shit personality surrounding it did) and run for the hills. 

“I guess you heard about Honeymaren making a complete fool out of herself, then.” He noted meticulously, avoiding her request to secure Anna’s phone. “Fucking pathetic, really. You’d think that she’d be more than a sorority slut stereotype, but she was clearly down to party.”

Elsa deadpanned him, in no mood to play his passive-aggressive games. “Please, Hans, let’s avoid playing dumb. We both know you drugged her without her permission or knowledge. But, if you hand me my sister’s phone, I may consider not pressing charges.” She stuck her hand out, “I’m a busy person, and it’s already close to three in the morning. I’m exhausted, and I’m sure you are too.” 

“It’s a shame really,” He continued, looking at his blunt fingernails. Elsa rolled her eyes, remembering that he still needed to feel like he was the one in control. It was obnoxious, honestly, and she seriously was starting to fall asleep simply out of boredom. The only thing keeping her awake was sheer adrenaline out of the hatred she felt for him. “I truly thought she’d convince you to make an appearance after what we talked about.”

Elsa placed her hands against her hips, in a gesture to convince him she wasn’t having it. She knew that Hans was a liar, and he clearly wanted to get under her skin by toying with her trust for Honeymaren. He didn’t even know either of them, so even the simple notion that he could possibly have anything against her was silly. Elsa, in hopes of getting her sister’s phone, would have to play along. “Alright, Doctor Doofenshmirtz,” She mocked, “I’ll humor you. What kind of plan have you hatched?”

He frowned at her, a swift display of aggravation, “I was going to be gentle about this, but clearly you’re in no mood for gentility, Elsa.” His face grew concerned, “I want to help you.”

“I doubt that.” She shot back, but maintained her composure.

He grimaced at her, before continuing his little spiel. “I really thought Honeymaren would’ve told you, but I guess she doesn’t truly care for your well being.” He leaned against the doorframe, clearly more comfortable when hearing himself drone on and on, “I asked her to mention a specific internship opportunity to you. From the Westergaard Economics Department.” 

Elsa drew back physically, her eyes narrowing at him, “What?” She wasn’t sure what he was trying to explain--if he was offering her some sort of reward, or threatening her with a punishment. He really was convinced that he could control her and her family. It was ridiculous, and she almost wanted to laugh at him. There was no legal route for him to get in the way of her Master’s degree, so it was odd that he would even mention it.

“She clearly didn’t want you to find out about it, so she kept quiet like a good girl, and brought Anna to the party just as she was asked to,” He smirked, and then Elsa’s heart sank. Hans threatened Honeymaren with Elsa’s future, and Honeymaren put herself and Anna in a line of danger. Elsa looked at the carpeting beneath Hans’ feet, unable to believe what she was hearing. He was a liar, so she was sure he was lying about Honeymaren. She just needed Anna’s phone back, and to try her best not to listen. 

“I don’t understand what you’re implying,” She responded hesitantly, feeling herself glaze over. 

“Oh, Elsa,” He feigned a look of pity, something he was clearly incapable of unless jerking off to the misfortune of others, “She lied to you. And honestly, I’m impressed that she acted so accordingly. She was clearly so worried about your future, that she didn’t mind handing Anna over to me on a silver platter. And then she got high, so she would have an excuse for not stepping in.” 

Elsa searched his eyes, and it stung when she realized he was (at least for the most part) telling the truth. Honeymaren had decided to withhold information from her, after they promised they would share everything together. It was hurtful and astonishing, and Elsa could feel herself breaking against the carpeted floor. She stood strong to face Hans, but on the inside, she could feel herself dying. She should have never trusted Honeymaren to take care of something she should’ve taken care of, herself. And because she was too terrified to step in on her own, Honeymaren was drugged and Anna…

_Anna had become fully taken over by him._

“It’s a pity that you think I’m as stupid as you do,” Hans continued, obviously getting off on her misery, “But I know you’ve been convincing Anna to stray from me. I know this whole thing might be a little bit foreign to you, but she’s in love with me. And she isn’t going to leave me. So I’ll give you her phone, but if you don’t start complying to my wishes, Miss Arendelle,” He looked her up and down in a way that made her stomach churn, “You’ll lose your degree, your sister, and so much fucking more.” 

He reached down to slide the phone into her hand, a gesture that made her stomach curdle. She couldn’t contain the fury in her eyes as she looked back into his, “You wouldn’t fucking dare, you self-serving, masturbatory, rapist piece of shit.” 

She craved hitting him in the mouth, to ruin that smug grin forever, but she was exhausted, and feeling completely betrayed and confused by the situation. “Well, if you have what you need, I’ll bid you goodnight.” He nodded at her, before shutting the door in her face.

Elsa wasn’t sure how long she stood in the hallway, or when she made her way back down to her car, or even how she managed to get back to the apartment, but she was completely exhausted and upset by the time she reached the door. She didn’t want to go in, but she knew she would have to face Honeymaren, even though she lied to her. 

She kept thinking about how worried she was about Honeymaren, and how much she thought they meant to one another. Her mind flitted back to the day at the lake when they made dinner, or the restaurant where they matched and shared wine together. The pictures of the two of them that Honeymaren had posted, and the way they had bonded over caring about Anna. All of it had been a lie. And it was going to kill her. She was surprised that she was even able to move at all, considering the amount she just wanted to hide in her room, and never come out. This was all her fault. She should’ve taken care of everything herself. 

After unlocking the door and opening it, she found Honeymaren waiting, her hair still wet but tied up into a top-knot, as she sat in Elsa’s clothing that was far too tight on her voluptuous figure, her t-shirt looking more like a crop-top than anything else. She looked up from where she was sitting, and the look of innocence practically broke Elsa’s heart all over again. Her hands shook as she set Anna’s phone on the windowsill, unable to look the other woman in the eye. 

“Elsa?” Honeymaren asked, shifting onto her legs, “Are you okay? What happened?” Elsa stared forward, unable to fully respond as Honeymaren rushed over to her, “You got the phone! Yay?” It was infuriating how much Elsa believed her and trusted her. She really thought they would be able to tell each other everything. “I made you some hot chocolate-”  
Unable to stop herself, Elsa interrupted her, “Cut the bullshit, Honeymaren. I know you lied to me.” 

Honeymaren uttered an audible gasp, and she took a cautious step backwards, “Shit-” She managed to say, “Shit, Elsa, I’m so sorry--what did he say?” 

Willing herself not to start crying, Elsa managed to look up at the other woman, whom she had cared about so deeply. Who she still cared about, and wanted to believe Hans was lying more than anything. But the truth was written all over Honeymaren’s immaculate face, and Elsa turned to stone. 

“He told me about the threats. How you kept them from me.” She bit her lip as she trembled, “I thought we said we’d tell each other everything.” She gripped the couch in front of her, in a desperate attempt at stabilizing herself. 

“I know, Elsa, I know, and I’m so-” Honeymaren babbled, reaching over to touch Elsa, who easily swatted her hand away. She looked down into her brown eyes, that were starting to overflow with tears. It was heartbreaking to see her face blotchy and red, but Elsa was furious. She didn’t even know where to start. 

“What? You’re sorry?” She almost wanted to laugh, “What were you _thinking_? You put your own life, and Anna’s life directly into the line of danger. And you still kept things from me?”

“I was worried about you,” Honeymaren protested, “He directly threatened your degree, and I know how hard you’ve been working on it-”

Elsa was furious, and if ice could shoot out of her hands, she was sure that it would have. She would have to offer an icy stare instead, feeling much colder than she had ever felt before. Being cold to other people had never bothered her before, but she longed for Honeymaren’s warmth. But even that was probably a trick. She shouldn’t have trusted her. “But my fucking degree is nothing in comparison to the physical or emotional well being of Anna, Honeymaren.”

“I know, but-” She tried to protest, but Elsa was infuriated. She couldn’t handle any more excuses. She thought they had an agreement.

“I thought we understood one another. That Anna’s safety and health needed to be the priority. And you didn’t tell me that he was starting to threaten me, and I could’ve handled this myself, and then-” She wasn’t sure when she started to cry, “You wouldn’t have been drugged, and Anna wouldn’t be fucking _engaged_ to him.”

Honeymaren was trembling, but still taking a step toward Elsa. It was a bold move, she was normally able to drive people away faster than this. How was Honeymaren not terrified of her? She’d always had a monster of a temper that drove so many people away from her. It was almost hilarious to see Honeymaren stay strong, and unafraid of her. “I think we’ve had a really long day,” She started, her voice calm and even. Elsa blinked the tears out of her eyes.

“Don’t fucking talk to me like I’m some sort of animal,” She spat, taking a step away from Honeymaren, “I’m _fine_ . But I’m so fucking brokenhearted by you, I don’t even know where to start. We were supposed to protect Anna, I thought we both understood that-” She ran a hand through her hair, her breath becoming erratic. A panic attack was starting to seize her again, the shock of betrayal and anguish filling her mind with poison, “ _I thought you fucking cared about her._ ”

“Well maybe I don’t _just_ care about Anna anymore!” Honeymaren shouted, her voice filling up their tiny apartment. Elsa’s eyes widened--she hadn’t ever seen that angry, horrifying side of Honeymaren before. She stood, underneath her, huffing harshly. 

Elsa furrowed her brow in slight confusion, “What?” Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt like the entire world wiped away from them. 

Honeymaren held back a sob by biting her lip, before turning around, “Never mind.” She said, and shook her head. Elsa watched her as she moved around the apartment, picking up her belongings and heading for the door, before she turned back around to face her. “It’s just-” She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Elsa prepared herself for whatever insult Honeymaren would sling at her, “If you don’t let people in sometimes, you’re going to always be really unhappy, Elsa.” 

Elsa felt helpless, and she gripped the couch a little harder, trying to even her breathing out, “What is that supposed to mean?” She gestured her other arm wildly. 

“It means that I really care about you,” Honeymaren’s voice got quieter as her eyes searched Elsa’s from across the room, “And I really _want_ to care about you, but you’re just so.” She threw her arms down in defeat, “Fucking _stubborn_ and hard to read. It’s like sometimes you lock yourself in a room for days, or you scream at me like this, and then other times you take care of me, and dance around in your apartment in your underwear and like-” 

As her heart dropped, Elsa noticed a look of determination in Honeymaren’s eyes. She felt suddenly guilty--it was ridiculous of her to assume that she wouldn’t have done the same for Honeymaren if she was being threatened by Hans. She felt _stupid._ She’d let him get into her head, and she’d been clearly driving Honeymaren insane with her confusing plans. It was her fault that Honeymaren was dragged into this mess. 

“Honeymaren,” She looked down at her hands, feeling ashamed, “I’m so sorry. It’s just so late, and today was so stressful, I wasn’t thinking clearly-” 

She couldn’t pry her eyes from her hands as they wrung themselves together, even when she heard Honeymaren say, “Fuck it.” 

Elsa was lost in her own thoughts, so busy hating herself that she couldn’t see Honeymaren rushing towards her, only jerking her head up when she felt soft hands pulling her face down. Her eyes widened as Honeymaren came crashing up towards her, smashing her lips against Elsa’s in a moment of pure desperation, and lust that Elsa didn’t know Honeymaren was capable of.

She simply took her breath away, and after a chaste kiss, Honeymaren pulled back, her dark, gorgeous eyes searching Elsa’s. Elsa wanted to be the person who brought her lips back to Honeymaren’s, holding her tightly and kissing her fiercely. She wanted to kiss her everywhere, and take her right there and then on the floor of her apartment, showing her _exactly_ what she was capable of, and how much she cared about Honeymaren too. She wanted to be the person Honeymaren needed.

But she wasn’t. 

She could only stand there, and stare at her, as if nothing had happened at all, the complete shock washing over her. Honeymaren looked horrified by herself, and pulled her hands back, away from Elsa. She looked down, unable to meet her gaze again. “I’m so stupid. I should go.” 

Elsa opened her mouth to say something, but her anxiety got the best of her again. She wanted to tell Honeymaren that it was the best kiss she’d ever had, and that she was desperately in love with her. That she would never let her get hurt again. That she was an idiot. But she only stood there, and watched as Honeymaren rushed out of the apartment. 

It was only ten minutes after the door had closed behind her, that Elsa crumpled to the floor in a heap of sobs. 

Honeymaren had kissed her. And it was perfect. And Elsa ruined it, just like she fucking ruined _everything_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahahaha i'm so sorry


	11. Feistypants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH I'M SO SORRY IT'S BEEN LITERAL MONTHS SINCE I'VE UPDATED!!! school got suddenly WILD so i've been mostly focusing on that. but i really wanted to thank you guys for all of the support, and nice comments you've left on this! they've really inspired me to keep trying my best and it SUPER MEANS THE WORLD TO ME.
> 
> i hope you enjoy this chapter--now that the semester is almost over, i should be posting way more frequently. but it sincerely means a lot that you care about my wellbeing omg you guys are the salt of the internet <3

Sven fucking hated karaoke, but at this point, it was the only passtime he could come up with that could possibly bring Kristoff out of his funk. He’d been a mess since around the crack of dawn earlier that day, when he’d stumbled into their apartment in a grumpy stupor. Sven never liked to see his friend upset. To be fair, he never enjoyed seeing  _ any  _ of his friends being upset, but a sad Kristoff was extremely difficult to deal with. He was truly a Midwestern boy, with an extra Minnesotan flair from his adopted mother--passive aggressive to the core. 

He told Sven everything that had happened; that there was something wrong with Honeymaren, that he’d picked up a frantic Anna from a McDonalds and taken her back to Atohallan, and finished up the night with a surprise engagement announcement for her. It was undoubtedly hard on the poor guy, considering Sven had never seen him fall so head over heels for anyone before. It would make sense for him to be heartbroken. Sven was surprised that Anna was engaged, to say the least, considering that from at least his point of view, she was fairly interested in Kristoff’s rippling bod. He saw her staring pretty often. 

It was clear that Kristoff was beyond hurt when he told Sven that everything was totally fine, but then proceeded to take a handle of Fireball (Sven had no idea how he liked that garbage drink so much. It was just melted down, alcoholic Hot Tamales. Gross.) and a box of Cap’n Crunch into his room and started blaring upset 1980’s ballads and early 2000’s emo songs as far as his speaker would go. It was annoying, but Sven figured that he needed to handle it in his own way. He seemed pretty caught up in Anna, so it made sense. 

But then five hours passed, and Sven swore to  _ shit _ that if he had to listen to Journey’s  _ Faithfully _ one more time, he was going to kick down the door himself. He tried to come up with a couple different ways to help Kristoff forget his troubles (checking out the new ice skating rink and playing some impromptu hockey, letting him drone on and on about how much he likes  _ Red Dead Redemption _ , getting him as many pancakes as he could eat) but Kristoff didn’t seem down for any of them. Finally, Sven knew he had to pull out the big guns. 

He opened the group Snapchat with Ryder, Olaf, and Honeymaren and instructed them to meet him at UrbanMove Karaoke, the club nearest to their apartment for drinks and songs. When they all agreed that they could make it, he finally got off his ass and walked over to Kristoff’s room. He didn’t bother knocking, but instead opened up the door to his friend who was laying on his bed with a pillow over his head. 

“Go away, Sven,” He grumbled underneath his pillow, sounding so exasperated that

Sven couldn’t help but crack a smile. 

He padded over to Kristoff’s bed, and flopped down against the soft comforter, right next to his friend. “Nah, I’m not in the mood. I think I’ll stay here for a while if that’s cool with you.”

“I know what you’re going to say,” Kristoff groaned, and pushed the pillow off of his face. 

“Yeah, and what’s that?” He raised his eyebrows suspiciously. There was no way that Kristoff knew what he was going to say.

“ _ You need to get up and dust yourself off. Go find a new girl to like. _ ” He mimicked Sven’s voice in a way that sounded deep and weird. Like a cartoon moose or something. “Or something like that.”

“Okay, first of all, I don’t sound  _ anything _ like that, asshole.” Sven retorted, chuckling, “And I wasn’t going to say that.”

“Fine. I’ll humor you.” Kristoff glared at him from a side glance, “What were you going to say?”

“Two things, actually.” He lifted his eyebrows, “First, I think we should totally be Deadpool and Colossus for Halloween. And that you should get a haircut, so we can show Anna exactly what she’s missing. Like a makeover in a Rom-Com.”

“Why can’t I be Cable?” He threw his head against the bed, “And is that seriously what you were going to say?”

“Nope,” Sven snorted, “Although both are good ideas. What I was going to say is,” He smiled over at his friend, “Listen dude, I think you just need to be validated.”

“Oh really.” Kristoff deadpanned, lifting a cautious eyebrow at his friend. 

“Yeah, dude.” Sven grinned, “At some point, you’re gonna have to realize that you feel what you feel. And those feelings are  _ real _ .” He saw Kristoff roll his eyes, “Come on, Kristoff. Let down your guard.” 

He could see the gears turning in his best friend’s head, and gave himself a mental pat on the back for clearly saying the right thing. Kristoff looked at him again, and sighed loudly through his nose, a little huff like a dragon. He clenched his prominent jaw, before saying, “I think we should be Ted and Marshall from  _ How I Met Your Mother  _ instead.” 

“No way, dude, I would want to be Barney.” Sven knit his brow together, “Plus now you’re just being obvious about the redhead thing.” 

“Too soon, dude.” Kristoff sighed into a sarcastic chuckle, but closed his eyes in thought again. “You’re right.” He paused again, and shook his head, messing up his blond hair even more than usual, “I hate it when you’re right. I should probably get my feelings out.”

“You know a great way to get your feelings out,” Sven grinned, “Is by singing them out like a pent-up character in a Broadway musical. Go out there and give ‘em the old Jonathan Groff.” 

“Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” Kristoff raised his eyebrows, “Because if you are, that’s a big deal for you.”

“This may be the only time I go to karaoke with you, and have it be  _ my _ idea.” He suggested, “Plus, the gang promised to meet us there.”

Kristoff searched his eyes for a minute, before agreeing with a begrudging, “Fine. But only because I don’t think this will ever happen again.”

“It probably won’t.” Sven chuckled.

Which was how he ended up here. In his own personal hell, watching strangers recreate pitchy versions of  _ Girls Just Wanna Have Fun _ and  _ Bohemian Rhapsody _ . It was truly, unequivocally painful to the word’s fullest extent. But Kristoff seemed to finally be perking up a bit, which in Sven’s opinion, was completely and totally worth it. He sat with his margarita and cheered for every person as they walked up. Ryder and Olaf seemed to be into it too, with Olaf signing up for a version of  _ Livin’ On a Prayer _ , and Ryder saying he hadn’t thought of one he wanted to do yet.

Honeymaren seemed to be in an even bigger funk than Kristoff was in, and something told Sven that he should ask her about it, to make sure she was doing okay. “What’s going on, Honey? Are you doing okay?”

“Oh yeah, I’m sorry,” She laughed, “I’m just tired.” Although it didn’t totally seem like it. Sven had known Honeymaren for a long time, and he could tell when she was tired. This was certainly beyond tired--she seemed upset. 

Ryder raised his eyebrows toward Sven, and slurred out a little, “She got rejected last night.” In a fashion that seemed like it was supposed to be a stage whisper that had gone horribly, terribly wrong. 

“Oh shit,” He looked at her, but she was busy glaring daggers at her brother. “What happened?”

“Jesus, Ryder, how much have you had?” She asked him, but he easily shrugged his shoulders and whooped and hollered at some older man who was singing  _ Love Shack  _ on the stage. Honeymaren emitted an exasperated sigh, and turned to Sven. “I guess the cat’s out of the bag. I tried to kiss Elsa last night but she wasn’t into it.”

“Oh my god,” Sven knit his eyebrows together in worry, “Honeymaren, I’m so sorry. That must’ve really sucked.” He knew how much she liked Elsa, and wanted it to work out, even if she hadn’t said it in so many words. It was probably difficult to be rejected by a girl you’d liked for a while, especially after her breakup with Yvonne or Yvette or whatever the hell her name was. That shit was  _ nasty _ .

“I mean, it’s fine. At least I know she isn’t interested now for sure, and I won’t have to think about it so much,” But the way she said it made her seem like she would be thinking about it for a while after, “I just feel bad for making a move on her like that. I mean, what was I thinking?”

“Let me guess,” Kristoff offered her a brotherly pat on the shoulder, “Did you find out that she has a surprise engagement too?”

“Shit,” Honeymaren laughed, “I guess the cat’s out of the bag on that too. I guess you found Anna last night? How did she seem?” 

Kristoff paused and stirred his straw in his drink, and Sven felt a sudden amount of concern he hadn’t even realized he was capable of before. There was something bigger than Anna going on, but Kristoff hadn’t told him about it yet. “She seemed pretty freaked out,” he admitted, but Sven wasn’t sure what he meant by that. He figured he could ask Kristoff later.

“I bet.” Honeymaren sighed and looked at her own drink, “So I’m guessing she left with him?”

“I think so,” Kristoff sighed, “She hasn’t been answering any of my texts or calls. Do you have any idea what’s going on?”  
Honeymaren opened up her mouth like she wanted to say something, but snapped it shut. She took a sip of her drink before finally saying, “I think that’s going to have to be a conversation you have with her. It’s not really something I should be talking about.”

Worry lined Kristoff’s face as she told him this, although something inside of Sven told him they shouldn’t pry any longer. Kristoff jumped to it first, “Maybe you should go talk to Elsa then. Apologize for making a move, you know?”

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?” Honeymaren asked, “I’m just not sure if she really wants to see me right now. She kinda flipped on me last night when I-” She reached for the right words, “Y’know. Tried to make a move.” 

Sven thought it might be good for Kristoff to give her some advice, or at least help him reach out to Anna. Even though she was taken, it didn’t mean that they couldn’t still be friends. And since Kristoff liked her so much, it was obvious that their friendship came first. He could tell that Kristoff was already starting to consider her that way. “I think you should still go apologize to her. That would be the right thing to do.”

Honeymaren smiled at him for a minute, before giving him a little kiss on the cheek, “You’re a good man, Charlie Brown. Thank you for that idea.”  
“Here,” Sven offered, “Let me get you a double of rum.” 

After he ordered it and Honeymaren took the shot, she was off. 

***

Anna sighed with relief as Hans traced little circles against her shoulder, fully and truly happy to be cradled by someone who loved her. The night before had almost been too much for her to handle--she felt terribly about what had happened to Honeymaren and Kristoff, and she knew her sister was probably worried sick about her. But Hans was right. He needed to be her priority now, especially when they had just gotten engaged. 

The sex they’d had was awesome, and it really felt like he cared about her again. He ignored all of his own personal desires and needs, and focused fully on deciding not to hit her or hurt her at all. He even wore a condom. It was sweet, and it meant that he really cared about her. “How was that, Anna?” He asked, his voice low and soft, in a way she hadn’t heard since they’d first started dating.

“That was-” She breathed out contentedly, “Really great. Thank you so much.” 

“You know I’d do anything for you,” He purred, gripping her shoulder lightly. “Especially now that you’re going to be my wife.”

The word still didn’t fully sit right with her. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to move out of her apartment with Elsa, although Hans had promised her that he would move the wedding until she was fully comfortable with it. Although, sometimes it felt like he was pressuring her into becoming more comfortable. Which, she guessed, was a good thing. It meant that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her faster. It meant he truly did love and care about her. Like  _ When Harry Met Sally.  _

The one problem was, she wasn’t sure if she was still as attracted to Hans as she used to be. It might’ve been the residue from him not inviting her sister to their engagement party (which he’d explained as wanting to have a more personal celebration with Elsa--which Anna wasn’t a fan of, but supposed that it made sense), but she was realizing that she didn’t still get butterflies when she looked at him. At the same time, that was supposed to happen with time. Lots of wives didn’t stay attracted to their husbands, and she might just have been nervous about the wedding in general. Of course she was still in love with him. Even if she didn’t feel fireworks when they kissed, or butterflies when she was with him.

Even if she was feeling them with someone else.

That was the other problem--the giant, blond-haired sweetheart who had moved heaven and earth to take care of her. The man she’d tried to kiss on the night of her engagement party. And he’d rejected her, kind of, or really liked her. It was hard to tell exactly what was happening. Either way, it would be bad for her to keep thinking about him. It would be worse to try and reach out to him. She was a taken woman, and in a way, she’d lied to Kristoff about it. Or at least, hadn’t told him the truth. And she’d been lying to Hans too. 

“Something on your mind?” He read her like a book, in a way that made her wish that she could disappear on the spot. He had an ability to do that, somehow make her trust that he knew exactly what she was feeling, and therefore, exactly what was best for her. A small part of her sort of knew that he didn’t. He didn’t give her wine and mac and cheese, or listen to her problems. He didn’t decide not to kiss her when she was too drunk to make a real decision about it. He just took what he wanted. But she’d decided to love him anyway. 

“No,” She lied, and a small part of her knew that he could tell. But she couldn’t be fully honest, at least not about Kristoff. 

“Don’t lie to me, Anna,” He warned, and she knew she would have to cave. At least a little bit.

“Well,” She started cautiously, and turned around to face him in the bed. He looked a lot less menacing that way, all curled up on his side. It would be easy to kill him, to stab a knife into his side, if she wanted to. Which she didn’t, of course. It just made him a lot less scary than he normally was. “How do you apologize to a friend for kinda misleading them?”

Hans’ face fell, a darkness resting over his eyes that made her want to leap from his bed and hurl herself out the window. The safety she had felt only a few moments before was suddenly drained from the room, making her recognize how helpless she really was. It made her stomach hurt, and it made her intuition kick in, but she needed to trust him, and not run away. He loved her. He promised that he did. “Are you talking about how you led that giant oaf on?” 

She blinked a couple of times, before asking, “What?” stupidly. Immediately, she was sure that there was no way that she could possibly have mentioned Kristoff to Hans, in any way, shape or form. And also, Kristoff wasn’t an oaf. “Hans, I haven’t led anyone on. We’re engaged.” 

But her response even sounded like a lie to her. She wasn’t very great at convincing other people, it’s why she couldn’t ever really become a lawyer. She knew that what she was saying was wrong, and it certainly wasn’t fair to her fiance to pretend like Kristoff wasn’t interested in her. He’d been respectful about it, but he’d made it perfectly clear that he was interested in something more than a friendship with her. It didn’t mean that she wanted to talk about it with Hans, though. Especially when she hadn’t decided how she felt yet. 

“I’m talking about that stupid frat boy who’s been hanging around you lately. The one that tried to chase us down in my car yesterday?” He deadpanned, and moved his hand away from her. For a moment, she was worried that he was going to slap her, but he simply retracted it back firmly to his side. “I know you went with him afterwards. I saw you with him when you were driving away. You left me for him, on the night of our engagement. And that was a huge act of dishonesty, Anna.” 

Anna bit her lip, terrified that she might start sobbing if she didn’t control herself. The stabbing of her teeth against her flesh kept her still, although she wasn’t sure how she could back down from this one. She didn’t want to lie to Hans, especially when he’d seen her with Kristoff afterwards. It was wrong to have gone with Kristoff, but Anna had been drunk, humiliated and exhausted. And if she was being honest with herself, terrified that she was jumping into this decision with Hans too quickly. 

She decided that at this moment, she needed to be honest with him. If he was going to be her fiance, and her husband, then he was going to know her fully and personally. She dared to look him in his dark eyes, “That’s my friend Kristoff.” She responded easily, “He’s really nice, and totally respectful. And I’m sure you’d really like him. He’s been a great support system for me.”

Hans laughed scornfully, “Are you kidding? Come on, Anna.” He patronized, “You know men are only after one thing. Especially frat boys. Especially with a lovely thing like you.”

Hans made her feel like an object right then. She remembered the hurt in Kristoff’s eyes, like a kicked puppy. She had to look away from Hans again, “That might be true,” She admitted, “But he really is a respectful, good person. And I’m sure he’d be really supportive of us getting married.”  
Even though she knew he’d only found out about it, she was sure that Kristoff would be supportive and respectful. He was simply a supportive and respectful person. The type of guy that went out of his way to take care of people, even when they didn’t know they needed it. In some ways, she felt like Hans could even learn a thing or two from him. Although she would never tell him that. 

“I doubt that,” Hans mocked her, and she was sure that he wasn’t meaning to. He just didn’t fully trust her. Which was fair, considering she had gone against his trust, and lied to him about it. “Especially since I don’t think you’ve told him about me. Have you.”

“I have,” She responded quickly, relieved that she could tell the truth. She may have told Kristoff about her and Hans a little too late, but she did before committing any sort of cheating. “And he didn’t ask me for anything. I’m serious, Hans. He’s a nice person and I shouldn’t have to defend him to you.” 

“I’m not asking you to defend him,” Hans spat, scooting up to a seated position. “I’m asking for you to be honorable to your actions. If you fucked up, Anna, you have to admit it. And then you have to take your punishment for it. Which I decide.” 

“I shouldn’t be punished for having friends,” She didn’t realize how angry it made her to hear him say that. She shouldn’t have to be passive just to make him feel comfortable. She slid her legs out of the bed and hopped onto the wooden floor. She plucked her panties off of it and slid them up her legs. “You can’t decide who I’m friends with, Hans, that’s not normal.”  
“I’m not deciding who you’re friends with,” He argued, marching over to where she stood. Hans was nowhere near as tall as Kristoff but it made her feel small. Weak. But she didn’t want to feel that way. 

_ Feistypants. _

She’d never truly shown that side of herself to Hans, because it made him feel weak. Sometimes it made her feel like he’d like to blow out the more fiery parts of her personality, wishing that she’d dye her hair blonde, or change her major entirely. As if she wasn’t a good enough writer. She felt like she could send her writing to anyone else; Olaf, Ryder, Elsa, Honeymaren, Sven,  _ Kristoff _ . 

“It sounds like you are,” The feistypants said, feeling herself become more angry by the minute, “And-” She paused, “I should’ve had more friends at our engagement party yesterday. You should’ve invited them.”

“How would I invite them if I don’t know who they are?” He countered, taking another step toward her. 

“You know who my sister is. You could’ve asked her for their contact information,” She suddenly started to feel taller as she looked up at him, and she knew what she had to say, “Except for the fact that you didn’t bother inviting her either.” 

“I told you why I didn’t. I think we should have a more personal celebration with Elsa-” He started, but Anna knew she had to interrupt him.

“Cut the bullshit, Hans, you didn’t invite her because you don’t really give a shit about m-” She was cut off by a sharp blow to her left cheek, crashing into her teeth. The sound of the slap reverberated across the room and Hans stood in front of her, naked and human. Although it was starting to seem like he was more of a monster to Anna by the second. 

She was still upset about the way he treated Elsa. And Honeymaren. And she guessed that the way he was talking about Kristoff was the last straw. It stung, to the point where it wanted to make her cry, but she knew she had gone too far. She should’ve been more gentle with him. 

“Don’t you ever,” Hans’ voice was deep, cutting into the inevitable bruise that vibrated against her face, “ _ Ever _ fucking talk to me that way again, you stupid, pathetic slut. If you even dare to look at that ugly, red faced ogre again, you can bet your bottom dollar that he will pay for it.” 

She wanted to oppose him again, but something in her stomach told her not to. She didn’t want to get hit again, and clearly Hans felt passionately about this subject. It would be best to let it rest. 

“Right,” She responded, willing herself not to cry, “Of course not.”  
“You’re forgetting something,” He warned, and she was sure his eyes would turn her to stone if she looked directly at them. “What do you say when you insult my intelligence and verge on cheating?”

She sucked in a shaky breath, her arms barely able to hold her up against the bed. She hadn’t realized that she didn’t move since he hit her. “I’m sorry.” 

“You should be.” He glared at her before spitting on her thigh, and storming out of the room. 

Anna choked back a sob, and dreamt casually of larger, more gentle hands. Hands that would never hit her, and she was sure of it. Hands that would always rub circles on her back, and make her mac and cheese. Hands that she wanted to hold and kiss, and to be loved by. 

And then she knew something truly crazy. 

She wasn’t sure if she should stay with Hans. Even though they were engaged. Even though they had everything in common, and that he made her sandwiches sometimes.

She needed to be loved fully, and allow herself to be loved differently. And she wasn’t sure if she had any sort of feeling for Kristoff outside of physical attraction, but the fact that she was even considering the idea meant that she needed to also consider the fact that she had growing feelings for someone other than Hans. 

But she was going to need help, and for the first time in forever, she felt like she really had the support system and friends that she needed to figure it out. 

***

Standing outside the door of the apartment on Arendelle street was somehow one of the most difficult things Honeymaren had ever decided to do. A part of her wondered why she’d decided to do it in the first place--it was clear that Elsa didn’t want anything to do with her, especially after what happened. On the other hand, she’d kissed her without her consent, and probably needed to apologize before she hurt her feelings any further. She turned around briefly and looked at the stairs descending below her. It would be so easy to turn around and leave, to pretend like the entire thing never happened. She could walk back home to the Delta Gamma house, focus on the decorations for Fall Philanthropy and forget the entire thing. It would be  _ fine _ . Anna would understand. Sometimes people put their feelings out there, and the other person wouldn’t reciprocate, and then those people move forward. 

But she knew she should still apologize. Elsa had been through so much already. She’d been blackmailed, worried about her sister, watched her sister get engaged to a man who was clearly abusive,  _ and _ then got kissed by a girl she didn’t have feelings for. A girl who shouldn’t have caught feelings for Elsa in the first place. And for that, Honeymaren needed to apologize. 

The “liquid courage” Sven had given her wasn’t entirely helping, and making her more nauseous than confident as she lifted her hand to knock on the door. For a brief moment, she felt like a character in a Shakespeare play or something, reciting a long soliloquy about whether to knock or not. If she knocked, she would go in and find Elsa, standing there all tall and gorgeous, and maybe make things worse. If she didn’t knock, Elsa would still be in there all alone, struggling to help her sister on her own. 

She couldn’t stand to picture Elsa stranded like that. It was unbearable to think that after everything they’d been through, all of the moments of friendship they had shared, that Honeymaren could be so selfish to act like that. She couldn’t act like that anymore. She needed to be tougher, to not run away anymore. It wasn’t the right thing to do, she wouldn't let anything else happen to Anna. They had made a pact to save her, and she couldn’t back out on her best friend now. She raised her arm and knocked on the door harshly. 

Honeymaren sucked in a breath, and still felt the shot of rum swaying within her body as she waited. Waiting outside of this door reminded her of being at Olaf’s cabin at the lake, waiting outside as she begged Elsa to come out. Anna had mentioned that it was something Elsa tended to do--that she pushed people away when they just wanted to help her. Although, Honeymaren reminded herself, she might deserve to be pushed away. She crossed too many boundaries the night before. She closed her eyes, bit her lip and knocked one more time. 

A few moments later, the door opened. Honeymaren’s breath caught in her throat as she saw Elsa’s tearstained face staring luminously back at her, the moonlight glinting off her soft, pale hair. Honeymaren wanted to tangle herself in it, to whisper words of promise into her delicate ear. But more than her romantic desires, she needed to be a better friend.

“Hi,” Elsa said easily, as if her perfect features weren’t reddened by harsh sobbing.

Honeymaren tried not to let her face scrunch up with worry. She didn’t want Elsa to feel any more embarrassed or uncomfortable than she already probably was. “Elsa, I’m-” She threw her arms down, “I’m so sorry, I don’t even know where to begin. But I am so, so incredibly sorry for doing that to you last night. And for not paying attention to Anna. It was selfish and stupid and I-” 

“Do you want to come inside?” Elsa interrupted, a clear attempt to keep herself even. Honeymaren felt her heart sink. Was Elsa really that upset to see her? “I just don’t want to put on a big show for the neighbors.” She looked around behind Honeymaren, and avoided looking her directly in the eye. 

“Um, sure. Yeah, of course.” Honeymaren responded, nodding her head awkwardly. “Should I just?” She gestured to the door after an uncomfortable moment, since Elsa wasn’t moving immediately. 

“Oh, yeah.” Elsa hurried back into the apartment, “Come in. Please.” 

This was definitely a mistake. Honeymaren had completely interrupted something private, and she wasn’t close enough with Elsa to do stuff like that at this point. She had been rude and pressuring, and continued to make Elsa clearly feel awkward even after their interaction. At this point, she wasn’t even sure that she could give an apology to cover all of it. She shouldn’t have shown up. Why had she listened to Sven? Why had she listened to  _ Kristoff _ ? With the way he’d been acting about Anna, it was clear that he was no “love expert”. They clearly had no idea what they were doing. 

She stepped into the apartment, and was unsure of whether she could kick off her shoes or not. It was a strange thing to think, but she wasn’t sure how long she’d be staying. Or if Elsa even wanted her there. She would just get out a quick apology next to the door and leave. Elsa didn’t want her to stay, and that was obvious. The only reason she let Honeymaren in, in the first place, was to avoid unwanted attention from her neighbors. To not make a scene. 

Honeymaren had to remember that she wasn’t about to make some enormous confession of infatuation or love. Even though it was almost impossible not to fall in love with someone as amazing, smart, funny and awesome as Elsa. Elsa didn’t want her to make a scene. Elsa didn’t want  _ her. _ She kept her shoes on and walked toward the kitchen. 

It felt like it took almost all of her strength to turn around and look back at Elsa, who looked disheveled beyond anything Honeymaren had seen from her before. Her normally regal disposition was completely slumped over, and her hair was tied up in a messy bun on top of her head, instead of the perfectly styled braids and loose waves she normally had. It was incredibly sexy, which made Honeymaren feel like the most disgusting human being on the planet to admit even to herself. She didn’t deserve Elsa, especially after what she’d done to her family. 

Elsa locked the door and turned to look back at Honeymaren, finally letting her eyes drift to making contact with Honeymaren’s. They were filled with so much sadness, Honeymaren wished she could disappear on the spot. They were bloodshot, but in a way that brought out the blues within them.  _ No one should look that gorgeous when they’re crying _ . 

She didn’t say anything, and Honeymaren wondered if she should start her apology over. “Elsa,” Her name didn’t even feel right. She didn’t even deserve to address her so casually, “I am really sorry. I was totally in over my head, and I let myself get distracted. I was in a super bad place last night, and it was wrong for me to take it out on you like that-”  
Elsa broke down into tears. Honeymaren swore her heart stopped beating to see her like that. Her immediate instinct was to rush towards her, throw her arms around her and hold her for as long as she needed it but she knew that wouldn’t be what she wanted. So she stood there stupidly and asked, “Are you okay?” Even though it was clear that she wasn’t. 

“I’m sorry,” Elsa paused, rubbing her palms against her eyes to smear the tears away, pooling her mascara at the corners. Honeymaren could feel her heart breaking. She didn’t want Elsa to feel like  _ she _ needed to apologize. That’s why Honeymaren was there in the first place--Elsa had nothing to apologize for. The blonde hiccupped, before surprising Honeymaren with, “I just didn’t think you would come back.” 

Honeymaren felt her eyes widen as she stared at Elsa. She felt like an idiot, “What?”

Elsa sniffled again, “I thought I pushed you away. And I was so-” She sobbed again, “Sad. But you’re-” She paused to rub her eyes again, “You’re here.” 

It felt like she was frozen, like stone. She didn’t know whether she should run to Elsa, or let her do what she needed to do. She was completely confused, but wanted to comfort her friend above all else. “Of course I’m here, Elsa. I needed to come back to apologize.”

Elsa straightened her body, and sniffled again, trying to regain some form of her usual composure. “Right. It’s just-” She pursed her lips together, and it was hard for Honeymaren to breathe. “It’s just that I really didn’t think you would.” 

Honeymaren nodded her head, unsure of what else she could possibly do. “Well, here I am, I guess?” She offered a small quirk of a smile as she watched Elsa wipe her eyes again. 

“I’m sorry, I must look like such a mess.” Elsa laughed sardonically, and ran a hand through her loose bangs. 

“No-” Honeymaren took a tentative step toward her, “No way. You couldn’t look like a mess if you tried.” 

“Why do you do that?” Elsa looked up at her, her brows pressed together in annoyance. 

Had she seriously messed this up so much already? Honeymaren shrugged, “Do what?”  
“Make me feel like I’m-” She threw her hands up, as if in defeat, “Worth something. I’m a bad person, Honeymaren, I’m-” She moved to sit on the couch, “I’m the villain here. I pushed Anna away, and let her get engaged to that _asshole_ and then the first time that I actually like a girl, I immediately push her away too. And now, what if you go and get engaged to some asshole? And it’ll be all my fault.” 

Wait. _ Did she just say that she likes you?  _ Honeymaren took another cautious step forward, worrying that her heart was beating so loudly in her ears that she must’ve heard her wrong. “Elsa, it’s not your fault that Anna’s with Hans.” She reassured her, “And we’re going to get her out of it. I’ve been really shitty to both of you, but I’m going to make it better. We’re going to figure this out. I promise.” 

“But what if we don’t?” Elsa asked, not moving her head from her hands. Honeymaren, without thinking, walked toward the sofa and sat down next to her. She stayed on the far side, and forced herself to not give into the temptation of rubbing circles around her back. 

“Don’t even ask that.” She answered, “We’re going to help her.” 

Elsa didn’t respond for a moment after that, and Honeymaren swore her body had gone off of autopilot. She wasn’t sure what to do, whether to move, or breathe, or even allow her heart to beat as fast as it was. She just needed to stay there, with Elsa. To let her figure out what to do next. Although Honeymaren wasn’t sure whether she had the patience. 

“It’s okay.” Elsa finally sighed out.

Honeymaren rushed to her response, “Of course it is. Sometimes people date the wrong people, but since Anna has such a strong support system, we can totally help her figure it out. It’ll be a long process for her to heal from the trauma, but I know she can do it. Because she’s tough as nails, and has an amazing sister like you to be there for her.” Honeymaren hadn’t even realized she’d been smiling, until Elsa raised her head from her hands to stare into Honeymaren’s eyes, and she felt her smile falter. 

“No,” Elsa said, and Honeymaren wanted to jump into another reassurance, that things would really be okay, but Elsa kept talking, “No, I meant that it’s okay that you kissed me.”

“Oh.” She retorted elegantly. “Okay, um. Cool. Thank you for being so understanding.”

“Shit,” Elsa threw her head back in defeat and looked toward the ceiling, “I meant that. Um. I wanted you to. It felt- you feel like-” She stammered, and Honeymaren bit her tongue within her mouth to keep herself from responding. She was so taken aback, she didn’t even know where to begin. Elsa continued, “What I’m trying to say is,” She paused, inhaling a deep breath, “If you wanted to do it again, I wouldn’t. Be opposed.”

Honeymaren lifted her eyebrows, and said another silly, “Oh.” 

“Not that you have to,” Elsa rambled, sounding almost like her sister. “Just. If that’s what you still want, it’s also what I want.” 

“You mean,” Honeymaren stopped, feeling like she might choke on the word, before carefully stating it, “Kissing?” 

“I meant,” Elsa bit her lip again, and looked down at her hands which were wringing in the way they did when she was nervous, “I mean that I want you. If you want me. Then we could figure out what we wanted from there.”  
“What?” She felt completely caught off guard, but extremely excited. It was to the point where she almost wanted to pinch herself, like she was in a dream. “I mean, yeah, I totally want that. I mean, you, uh. You’re like-” She gestured wildly, as if trying to grasp the right word, “Easily the most intelligent, incredible, gorgeous, infuriating and intimidating person ever.”

“Okay,” Elsa smiled genuinely, and a wave of relief washed over Honeymaren. “Thank you. That’s the nicest thing-” She paused again, “I mean, you’re just. I’ve never felt like this about anyone before, Honeymaren.” 

The grin on Honeymaren’s lips was unbreakable, “I’ve never felt this way about anyone else either, Elsa.” 

“Really?” Elsa’s eyes lit up, and it felt like the entire world had color for the first time. Honeymaren nodded her head enthusiastically. 

“Definitely.” She agreed.

“Great.” Elsa tucked a shy hair behind her ear, “That makes me really happy.”  
“Me too.” Honeymaren reached out a hand, and rested it against Elsa’s chilly thigh. She felt her goosebumps rise against it. “So I’m guessing you forgive me then?” 

Elsa delicately placed her hand against Honeymaren’s, and looked back up at her. “Without a doubt.” 

It felt natural to lean in at that point, so close that she could smell Elsa’s elegant perfume, and feel her hot breath warming Honeymaren’s lips. The amount of pure desire that had accumulated over the time they had known each other sparked every nerve within her body, and she realized then that she wanted Elsa more than anything she’d ever wanted. She noticed Elsa’s eyes fluttering shut, the remnants of her mascara dusting onto her porcelain cheek. 

As Elsa’s hand tightened against her own, Honeymaren gently pressed her lips against hers. It was practically agony to realize how much she’d wanted this, to feel Elsa smiling against her, moving her soft, perfect lips in perfect harmony. She rubbed her thumb against Elsa’s thigh until it felt warm underneath her, and continued to memorize the way their mouths molded together. 

She felt Elsa’s desire too--something she’d only been allowed to imagine for so long, hoping that it was possible for Elsa to feel the same way that Honeymaren felt for her. She wanted to sing, like some Disney princess, like this was the first kiss she’d ever had. Elsa was completely intoxicating as she reached towards Honeymaren, her delicate, soft fingers grasping her waist and pulling her towards her. With one last kiss, Elsa pulled away, her lips flushed and swollen. It made Honeymaren feel a sense of pride. They smiled at each other again, and laughed in unison, like they were two friends at a sleepover. 

“That was,” Elsa started, “You are-” She giggled, “Wow.” 

“You are easily,” Honeymaren gasped for air, “The  _ best _ kisser. In the world. Hands down.”

“Well clearly, that award would have to go to you.” Elsa smiled, her eyes sparkling like the first snow of winter. “Would you, um. Would you like to stay the night?” 

“Jesus Christ,” Honeymaren laughed, “Trust me, more than  _ anything _ , but-” She reached over to finally touch Elsa’s soft hair. It felt like feathers against her fingertips, “Unless you’re aiming for a no-strings-attached situation-”

“And I’m not-” Elsa laughed, and Honeymaren swore her heart soared at the sentiment. 

“I want to treat you right then. I want to wine and dine you, before I-” She paused, realizing that saying “sixty-nine you” would completely kill the mood. “Make any big physical moves.” 

“You certainly are a romantic,” Elsa leaned in to press another kiss against Honeymaren’s lips, “I think that’s a really sweet idea.” 

“Okay, um. I guess I’ll take you out to dinner then. When are you free?” The dizziness of Elsa kissing her almost made her shake with anticipation. Elsa fucking Arendelle wanted to  _ date _ her. 

“I will literally move everything on my schedule, if you wanted to do it tomorrow.” Elsa responded hastily, “And that’s an enormous compliment, I take my schedule very seriously.”

“I’m sure you do,” Honeymaren giggled, and pressed another soft kiss against Elsa’s cheek, “I’m really, really happy, Elsa.”

“Me too, Honeymaren.” She promised, her voice all deep and scratchy, in the way that haunted every dream for Honeymaren. 

“I’m gonna treat you like a fucking queen,” Honeymaren promised. “And I’ll see you tomorrow at 6:00pm?” 

“I will move heaven and earth.” Elsa grinned, “So long as you don’t get so drunk that I have to hold your hair back.”

“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?” Honeymaren sighed, far too drunk with admiration and excitement to truly care.

“Never.” Elsa responded.

“You’re perfect for me, then.” 

And as Honeymaren walked back to the Delta Gamma house, she couldn’t help but think about how truly lucky she was. 

But then she remembered about Anna, and how unlucky she had been. So, she turned away from the Delta Gamma house and started walking toward Atohallan instead. Ryder would know what to do. 


End file.
